First of all, thank you for finding this and hopefully reading You In The End before starting this. This won't make much sense if you haven't read the first story.
Moving on, I just want to thank all of you for your reviews and the incredible amount of favorites and views that I got for the last chapter of You In The End. It was pretty overwhelming to wake up to an inbox loaded with notifications and it only got better as the day went on. I even had a spaz out moment when I saw my story mentioned on Tumblr. That's my favorite source for Bechloe stuff and fanfics and it was pretty cool to see it on there. I have an account over there that's the same as my username on here and I might post story ideas or different stuff on it eventually, but for now it's just to lurk.
Anyway, I didn't think the last chapter was that emotional, so I'm sorry for all of the people that I made cry. Thank you to all of the people that have followed me, especially the 30 that I gained when I completed the last chapter. In the words of Fat Amy, "I love you guys more than puppies and seafood."
Without further ado, this begins Keep Breathing and I hope it doesn't disappoint.
Chapter One: Landline
In a hospital in Duluth, Georgia there was a waiting room that looked like it was hosting a gathering of misfits. Nearly every seat in the waiting area was full with young students nervously surfing the web on their cell phones and making small talk, desperately trying to make time go a little faster. In one group, led by a loud and boisterous Australian, sat the Barden Bellas. On the other side of the room was a quieter and slightly more masculine group, the Barden University Treblemakers. Between them, Aubrey and Jesse were crammed on a couch, flipping through his iPod and talking about songs that they enjoyed. Together, they were all here to support Beca Mitchell and Chloe Beale. It didn't matter that they were rival groups that competed fiercely for a few months each school year. They were bonded by a cappella and that meant ignoring your differences and cramming into a waiting room all night to find some kind of relief for their worry.
Everyone loved Chloe and it didn't matter that she was in medical school and wasn't involved with the Bellas any longer. She had left an indelible impression on her former group and they wouldn't be anywhere else right now. Beca was their leader now and in months that she had taken over the group, some of the wounds between them and Trebles had been healed in sake of her friendship with Jesse. They all respected her and what she had done to change the Bellas and cared enough to be here to support her and Jesse. It had been hours, but no one was leaving and had no plans of vacating the room until they had an update.
In a small corner of the room, the Mitchell and the Simmons families were sitting together and trying to sort out what had happened. They had talked to a police officer who described the accident to them and told Ben that his beloved Bronco was completely totaled, but even that couldn't help them make sense of this tragedy. They were just kids and both families had come very close to losing their daughters this evening. Up until now, they never thought that this would happen to them. This didn't happen to families like theirs; the kind that cared about their kids and raised them into smart and responsible young women. Families that raised talented musicians and bright young medical students, with big dreams and good heads on their shoulders. It couldn't happen to them, but tonight it had and it sent them all for a loop.
For Beca's family, minus her mother who was still in transit, they could breathe a little easier. Her surgery was decidedly less difficult than Chloe's and her prognosis was excellent. Besides her arm and shoulder, her other injuries were minimal. A broken rib, a few bad scratches, and a concussion didn't seem all that bad now when they considered just how bad things could have gone.
For the Simmons and Chloe's father Anthony, who was sitting apart from the group and pouring over his Blackberry, they had a little more to worry about. Not only was she going through spinal surgery, but they had discovered through a cardiac arrest that there was internal bleeding that also needed repaired. They had almost lost her back in the trauma room and a last minute injection of adrenaline was all that separated their daughter between being alive and being down in the morgue. She wasn't out of harm's way though and they wouldn't rest until they knew for certain that she was going to be alright.
Ben Mitchell had been watching Tony Beale for the hour that he had been there, taking occasional glances at him from the corner of his eye as he made small talk with Chloe's mother and step-father. The man had strolled in there like he owned the place and had a terse conversation with his ex before sitting apart from the group and checking his e-mail every five minutes. He looked awkward and alone and desperate to get out of the hospital. It had only taken an hour of sitting there with no news to send him out of the hospital and Ben followed him, wanting some kind of answer for why he would ditch his daughter when she needed him the most.
He found Tony outside of the hospital, leaning against the building and taking long drags from a cigarette as he tried to get some air. Ben approached him slowly and awkwardly held out a hand as he said "Um, I don't think we've met. I'm Beca's father, Ben Mitchell. You must be Chloe's father, Mr. Beale. It's nice to finally meet you. We just love your daughter and it's so great that she's dating Beca. They really love each other and it's nice to see Beca with such a great girl."
Tony raised an eyebrow as he shook Ben's hand and softly said "I had no idea that they were dating or that my daughter made a habit of dating women, much less falling in love with them. I'm sure your daughter is great and that they're happy, but this is the first time I've heard about it. I'm not surprised though. I haven't talked to Chloe in months, how would I know about her life?"
Ben frowned, knowing all about Chloe's relationship with her father from what Beca had told him, and said "I'm sorry, I thought that you knew. I'm probably not the person that you would want to hear this kind of thing from. She's inside right now in an operating room and I hope you stick around long enough for her to tell you about her life. Were you leaving?"
Tony looked at his feet as he snuffed his cigarette out with his shoe and said "I was thinking about it. She doesn't want me here and neither does my ex or her husband. They're Chloe's family now and I'm just the asshole that lets her down. I don't deserve to see her or be here when she wakes up. Besides, I have an important meeting back in New York that I shouldn't miss. Could you tell her mother that I'm leaving? I don't want to go back in there."
Ben rolled his eyes and turned away from the man, his anger becoming overwhelming as he pictured Chloe waking up and not seeing her father there. She would be distraught and it wasn't his place to say anything, but he couldn't help himself as he turned and grabbed Tony's shoulder to stop him from leaving. He held it tightly and said "My daughter has told me about your relationship with your daughter and I know I'm off base here, but you can't just leave. She deserves some of your time and it's going to kill her when she finds out that you left her here in the middle of a grueling surgery. She almost died tonight and if you leave without seeing her, she'll never forgive you. Can you live with yourself knowing that you walked out on your daughter when she's back there, on the edge of life and death? I know I couldn't and I hope you can't either. Please, just stay for a little while longer."
Back in the waiting room, a nurse came into the room and said "Beca Mitchell?" To her surprise, nearly everyone in the room looked over at her and she laughed softly before saying "Surely you can't all be family. Could I talk to her next of kin, please?"
Sheila stood up slowly and said "That would be me; I'm her step-mother. Her father is outside, so for right now it's just me. How is she? Is she done with her surgery?"
The nurse nodded and said "Yeah. Everything went great and she just got moved from post-op to her room. She's a little tired right now, but she's awake and feeling okay. She asked to see her dad or Aubrey, but right now let's just limit it to one visitor. Do you want to go and get him and then I'll take him back?"
Sheila nodded and left the room, hurrying outside where she found her husband talking quietly with Mr. Beale. She cleared her throat and said "Excuse me, but Beca's back in her room and she's asking for you Ben. A nurse is here to take you back."
Ben smiled and said "That's great, thanks honey. Tony, I'll see you back inside? I'd love to hear more about your company."
Tony simply nodded and said "Sure thing, Ben. I'll be inside once I finish my cigarette."
Ben grinned and wrapped his arm around Sheila's back, walking with her back into the hospital and leaving her at the waiting room as he left with the waiting nurse. They walked back in silence as Ben tried to gather his thoughts and come up with what he would have to say to his daughter. He knew that she would have questions about Chloe and he hated having to be the person to answer them, but he was her father and that was his job.
After an elevator ride and a long walk down several corridors, they reached Beca's room and the nurse left him so they would have some privacy. As he stepped into the room and glanced at his daughter, he felt his breath leave his body and he had to lean against the wall for a moment. She looked so tiny and broken lying on that bed and he just wanted to pick her up and hold her in his arms, just like he would do when she was a child and got sick. Time had changed things though and he knew that even though she probably felt terrible, if he attempted it he would probably get decked in the face. He gave himself a minute to calm down and then walked across the room, plastering a fake smile on his face as he took in his daughter's presence.
Her face was pale and had several cuts on it, along with a blackened left eye and a gauze pad covering her forehead. Her left arm was in a huge cast that went from her knuckles to her elbow and was resting in a sling that lay motionless against her stomach. Besides that though, she looked perfect and he couldn't wish for anything more. He had been lucky that the damage had been this limited and he would take this over what Chloe's family was going through any day.
He sunk onto the chair next to her bed and took her right hand in his, squeezing it firmly and smiling a little when her eyes opened up. She looked around nervously, momentarily forgetting where she was, but calmed when she saw her dad sitting there. He grinned at her and softly said "Hey, Bec. How are you feeling, kiddo? Any pain?"
Beca shook her head and said "They have me on the good stuff. Where's mom? Is she here?"
Ben shook his head and said "No, but she's on her way. She had to get a connecting flight in New York and it's going to be a little while. She's going to stay with me and Sheila though so she's close and can see you anytime that you need her. I'm just so happy that you're feeling okay and that the surgery went well. You're going to be okay and that's so great."
Beca managed a slight smile and said "Yeah, I guess so. How's Chloe doing? Aubrey couldn't tell me anything before my surgery and I'm…I'm really worried, dad. Is she still here? Jesse too?"
He smiled and said "Yep, they're both here. They're out in the waiting room talking and trying to entertain the many guests that are out there for you and Chloe. All of the Bellas and the Treblemakers showed up and I think the nurses out there are about ready to kick them all out. They can be pretty noisy and they take up a ton of room. They all showed up though and they're praying for you and thinking about you. You have some great friends, Beca."
Beca nodded as a smiled painted her lips and said "Yeah, I do. I can't believe they all showed up for us. Maybe for Chloe, but not for me. How is she dad? Please, I can handle it."
Ben looked down at his feet and said "It's not good, sweetheart. She's in surgery right now for her back and we don't know…we won't know until they get done if she'll ever walk again." He could see tears starting to fall from Beca's eyes, but knew he had to continue or he would never be able to say it. He stroked her arm gently and said "Jesse was back there with her before her operation and she vomited blood before going into a cardiac arrest. There was internal bleeding that they didn't catch and they almost lost her, but somehow she made it through and she's stable right now…but it's going to be a long road until she's back to herself. I'm so sorry, Beca."
Beca was now sobbing and reached out for her father, letting him pull her against his chest and wrap his arms around her back. She whimpered in pain and sadness and softly said "I did this to her, dad. This was my fault and I'm sorry. I'm sorry about the car and everything. Why did this have to happen? I love her…and I can't lose her. Why did this happen?"
Ben just rocked her back and forth as she wept in his arms and quietly murmured "It was an accident, Bec. This wasn't your fault and no one is angry with you. She's going to be okay and you're not going to lose her. I promise, sweetheart. Just calm down and everything will be alright."
He held her like that for at least fifteen minutes and didn't let go until her sobs dissipated and he felt her calm against his body. He looked down and smiled a little when he saw that she had fallen asleep. She must have been so exhausted from the operation and he wished that he hadn't told her about Chloe, but they were in love and love came with responsibilities.
As he slid her back onto the bed and kissed her head gently, he felt a tear of his own make its way down his cheek and wiped it away with the back of his hand. He hated to see his daughter suffering like this, but he couldn't avoid it either and softly whispered "I love you" before leaving the room and letting her get some rest.
Three hours later, a doctor finally walked into the waiting room and wearily announced "Chloe Beale?"
Nearly everyone in the waiting stood, all anxious for some kind of update, and Kate Simmons found herself fighting back tears as she saw all of the kids standing up for her daughter. She smiled at them as the tears slid down her face and said "Thank you guys for waiting so long, but we're going to talk somewhere a little quieter. Once I get some kind of news, I'll tell you. Bree, come with us honey. You're practically family and Chloe would want you with us."
Aubrey let go of Jesse's hand and walked over to Kate, giving her a tight hug before walking with her and Chloe's fathers back to a deserted hallway where the doctor was waiting for them. The doctor gave them a warm smile and said "I'm Dr. Jacobs, Chloe's surgeon. I know it took a long time and I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, but it was a complicated procedure and we wanted to be very thorough. Thankfully, I have some good news for you guys. When we got into her back and looked at the spine, we found that it was in good shape. We were able to repair the vertebrae and she should be just fine. There was some nerve damage that's going to limit her feeling and mobility for now, but that can heal with time. She's going to need a lot of rehab until her feeling is completely restored and she'll be in a wheelchair for a few months, but she'll be able to walk and live a completely normal life."
At this news, Aubrey broke down into loud sobs and felt Eric's arm wrap around her and pull her close as he fought back his own tears. She looked up and saw that Kate was tearful and smiling but froze when she saw Tony. His lip was quivering as he fought back tears and he looked like he was going to either vomit or pass out. He was leaning against the wall and trying to stay calm, but his heavy breaths were loud and eventually caught the attention of his ex-wife. She looked up at him with sympathetic eyes and softly said "Hey, she's going to be alright. It's going to be okay and you have time now to make it better. You get to be a dad again and it's all going to be alright."
Tony just nodded as he blinked back his tears and said "I know, I'm just so happy. What about the internal bleeding and the cardiac arrest? Were you able to fix that?"
The doctor nodded and said "Yeah, we were able to repair it. Her pelvis was injured in the crash, which is common in auto accidents, and the injury made a small tear on the lining of her stomach. Blood from the tear filled up in her stomach and caused the vomiting and the cardiac arrest. We were able to repair both the injury and the tear and it's just going to take a lot of rest until they're better. The stomach was minor, but the pelvic injury is serious stuff and it's going to keep her off of her feet for a while. It can be painful and tough to heal from, but I have no doubts that your daughter will be fine. We almost lost her back there and it was pretty scary, but somehow she made it through and she'll recover from this as well. Besides all of that stuff, she has a broken leg that we put in a walking boot and a pretty bad concussion. She also has some bad whiplash from the accident and her neck is going to be sore and in a brace for a week or so."
Kate smiled at the doctor and said "Thank you so much, doctor. Is she awake now? When can we see her?"
The doctor nodded and said "She was awake after the surgery, but she conked out after we moved her to her regular room and she hasn't woken up yet. It's nothing to be concerned with and it's just her body compensating for all of the stress and trauma that she's been through. It may be minutes or hours until she wakes up; we can't be completely sure. Luckily for her though, she's going to have a bunch of people in there holding her hands and talking her through it. If you would like, I can take you back to her room. She's in the ICU though, so we have to limit the amount of visitors."
Aubrey took the hint and said "Go and see her, I can wait. You're her parents and you need to be with her. I'll go and tell the others the good news."
Kate kissed the top of Aubrey's head and thanked her before leaving with her husband and ex to go and see their little girl. Aubrey smiled as she watched them leave and then practically ran to the waiting room, where her fellow a-ca-people were waiting for news. She bit her lip as they all stood and she felt her tears start again as she said "She's okay! She's going to walk again and it's all going to be alright! She's going to live."
As she broke down into full-on tears, the rest of students broke out into happy laughter and chatter as the anxiety that they had been feeling dissipated and everything felt somewhat normal again. There would be no funerals or heavy hearts and they wouldn't have to say goodbye to one of their own.
Amy was ecstatic and walked over to Aubrey, pulling her in for a tight hug and lifting her off of the floor as she held her. Aubrey could feel her tears turning into laughter and held her back, feeling so happy and free for the first time in hours. Jesse approached them after a minute and said "Hey, my turn."
Amy released the girl and ran back over to her fellow Bellas, exclaiming how she was the best psychic in Tasmania and knew that she would be alright. Jesse smiled and softly said "I'm so happy for you, Aubrey. Please stop crying, it's okay now."
Aubrey simply nodded and pulled Jesse in for a hug, melting into his touch and not pulling away when his lips gently grazed against the top of her head and then her cheek. It felt warm and comforting and just what she needed right now to feel whole again.
After another hour, Beca's mother entered the waiting room and approached Jesse and Aubrey, who were leaning against each other and flipping through a magazine. She cleared her throat softly and said "Hey, Beca's awake and she's asking to see you both. She's up in room 306. I didn't tell her about Chloe yet, since I figured she would want to hear it from you. Go on up."
Jesse nodded and walked with Aubrey over to the elevator and rode it to her room. When they entered her quiet hospital room, Beca smiled at them and said "Hey, lovebirds! From what my mom told me, you guys have been cuddling all night. Congratulations on breaking your Treble rule, Aubrey. When will the wolves be attacking your vocal chords?"
Aubrey just shook her head and said "That rule was stupid and we are just fine. I actually have some very good news for you. Chloe is going to be alright. We found out about an hour ago and the surgery is over and she's going to walk again. It's over now. No more waiting or praying or being sorry. She's going to be okay and so will you and everything is going to be just fine."
Beca smiled widely and said "Thank God. When can I see her? Can we go now?"
Jesse shook his head and said "No, now isn't a good time. Her parents are still in her room and they need some time to just be with her. Besides, she's not awake yet and we don't know when she'll actually wake up so it's not like you're missing anything."
He reached out and took Beca's good hand in his, threading their fingers and looking at her with sorrow filled eyes. Aubrey could see that he desperately wanted to talk to the girl and softly said "I'm going to give you two a little time to talk about things. I think I'm going to head down to the chapel and pray a little. After a night like tonight, I need something like that to clear my head. I'll see you back downstairs, Jesse."
She smiled at the pair and grinned when she heard them start to talk when she left the room. They had a lot to stay to repair their friendship and she was willing to give them their time and space to do it. As she walked off of the elevator, she was greeted by Amy who said "Hey, where are you off too? I just made a coffee run if you need some. No offense, Blondie, but you look terrible."
Aubrey smiled and said "Thanks, Amy, but I'm heading down to the chapel to say a prayer and light a candle for them. Do you want to come with?"
Surprisingly, Amy's face turned serious and she nodded as she joined Aubrey in the quiet walk down to the small church in the hospital. When they reached the doorway, Aubrey looked up at Amy and said "I didn't know you were religious. I didn't really know how things worked in Australia."
Amy smiled and said "I went to Catholic school back home. It was important to my dad after my mum died. She was killed in a car accident when I was fifteen, so he and my brothers raised me. Tonight has been kinda hard for me and I was thinking about coming down here on my own before you said something."
Aubrey paled and said "Oh Amy, I had no idea. You've never really talked about your family or anything like that."
Amy simply shrugged and said "It's been a long time. Underneath all of these sexy layers, I'm actually pretty deep. Now come on, I don't want to talk about me anymore."
Aubrey nodded and walked into the chapel with Amy, both lighting a candle for Chloe and Beca and then kneeling at a pew to pray. Amy finished first and crossed herself before looking over at Aubrey and freezing. The girl was overcome with emotions as she prayed and broke down again as she crossed herself with shaky hands.
Amy patted her shoulder tenderly and once she calmed down, wrapped her arm around Aubrey and guided her out of the chapel. Aubrey leaned against her and Amy softly said "Do you know what you need? Whenever I feel bad and need something comforting, there's only one thing that can make me better. Donuts! Come on, Lily stole some from the coffee shop and the workers were too creeped out by her to say anything."
Aubrey just laughed and nodded, leaning against her friend and relaxing for the first time in what had seemed like an eternity.
Hours had passed at the hospital and all of the singers and family had left to get some much needed rest, leaving only Aubrey and Jesse there with Beca. They had just been given the okay to take Beca to see Chloe and while Aubrey warned her against it, Beca wouldn't take no for an answer. It had been painful to get out of bed and into the wheelchair, but she fought through it and let Jesse wordlessly push her down to her girlfriend's room.
When they reached it, he let Aubrey take over and stood in the doorway to give them some room. This was a deeply personal thing for both girls and he knew that he had no place in that room right now. As they entered and Beca saw just how battered her lover was, she broke down into heavy sobs and looked up at Aubrey in shock. She looked so frail on the bed and it made her heart ache to see how sick she looked. Her face was as pale as the sheets beneath her and her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, which only made her look younger and sicker. The huge brace on her neck didn't improve on things and combined with the sight of the huge gauze pad on her forehead, Beca felt sick. What had she done? One simple accident changed everything and she realized now just how serious things had been.
Aubrey stroked her shoulders gently and pushed her next to the bed, watching the girl take one of Chloe's hands and cry into it as she sunk onto the bed at Chloe's feet. She rubbed Beca's shoulder as she cried and softly said "It's okay, Beca. I'm scared too and I know it's a lot to take in. She's going to be okay though and this is just temporary. She's going to look a lot better as she heals."
Beca just nodded and leaned in to gently kiss Chloe's forehead. When she pulled away, she smiled and said "Look at us, Chlo. First we had matching bug tattoos and now we're going to have matching scars too. I used to love that one on your forehead and yours is always going to be cuter than mine, but we'll have something to share too. I love you so much, Chloe. Please just open your eyes so I can see them again."
Chloe didn't stir and Beca broke down into harder sobs, clutching one of Aubrey's hands as she watched her girlfriend sleep in front of her. She felt helpless and in pain and she just wanted to hear her voice again. That would make everything better and she would sit here all night until she woke up.
Aubrey was in tears and softly said "Keep talking to her, Bec. Maybe you're the key to waking her up. I tried and her parents did too, but maybe she needs to hear from the person she loves the most. It can't hurt, right?"
Beca simply nodded and looked back down at Chloe, fighting back a whimper as she took in the damage that had been done again. With a hand in both Chloe and Aubrey's hands, she took a deep breath and softly said "Chloe, I know I'm quiet and I'm not great at saying what I feel and being open with you and I know it hurts you so much. If you knew what I felt for you though, you would never beat yourself up over it. I love every part of you, from your hair to your eyes to your hands…to everything. I love everything about you and you're the first person that ever really understood me and got me without question or pushing me away. I just want to hold you and make you better and kiss everything that hurts and let you know how sorry I am. I wish this didn't happen and I'm sorry that I was driving and got distracted by you and how beautiful you looked. I just…I love you so much and I'm not leaving you. They're going to have to pull me out of here before I lose sight of you. I'm never going to stop watching you and loving you and wanting you. We have matching scars and tattoos and one day we'll have matching rings and that's all I've ever wanted. Please baby, just open your eyes. I'm begging you and I hate doing that."
Both Aubrey and Beca were now sobbing at her words but instantly quieted when Chloe's soft voice said "I know Bec and I love you too. Could you tell Bree to move over a little? She's crushing my leg and making it fall asleep."
Aubrey instantly moved off of the bed and watched as Beca practically fell on top of Chloe, holding her with her good arm and kissing her cheek repeatedly as she cried. Once she pulled away, Aubrey gave Chloe another hug and kissed the top of her head, not caring that she looked a mess as she cried uncontrollably. Her voice was all that they needed and while she didn't say another word as her eyes closed from exhaustion, both girls felt incredibly at ease for the first time in hours. She was going to be okay. Their girl was going to make it and they could finally begin to heal and move on from the accident. Everything was going to be alright.