A/N – I'm jumping on the zombie bandwagon. Named for "Blackbird Song" by Lee DeWyze. It was written for The Walking Dead. The song was in my head when I wrote most of this and it sort of sets the tone. Give it a listen. I don't own anything you recognize. Staubrey. Chaubrey. Jeca. Bechloe friendship. Sorry for any mistakes. And there will be character deaths.
I'm Still Here
Don't be scared.
I'm still here.
No more time for crying dear.
The sun dipped behind the clouds but still the day was warm. Hot even. She sighed as she leaned her forehead against the glass as they traveled the short distance back to camp. The air from the open driver and front passenger windows had the blonde's hair fluttering softly.
Aubrey stared out the window of the SUV from her spot in the back seat. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of a handful of biters trudging along through a field. They would be nearing the camp by the next day if they continued as they were.
"Stop." She called.
Beca met her gaze in the rearview mirror with a nod and pulled the vehicle to a stop alongside the desolate road.
"Why do we have to stop?" Stacie whined from her spot, legs draped over Aubrey's lap. "There's only a few of them. Why bother?"
"Because they could end up at the camp and we can't take that chance…they could get through the fences." Aubrey replied, already slipping out from under the brunette's legs and stepping out of the vehicle. "This won't take long babe."
Stacie followed the blonde around the back of the SUV, their knives in hand. "It better not." She called after her. "It's Donald's night for kitchen duty…you know that man can make a masterpiece out of even Raman noodles! If we're late everyone will have picked over the good stuff already."
Aubrey finally smiled and shook her head. "We'll be back in plenty of time Stace, don't worry."
Beca and Jesse followed along with the pair as they approached the biters who had by that point taken notice of their presence. They shifted and began to drift closer to the approaching group, their jaws snapping in anticipation and their arms reaching.
Aubrey approached the first one and with a quick sidestep, thrust her knife into its temple. She had learned to not give much thought to the sound and feel as the decomposing skulls collapsed around her blade. She had also stopped thinking about what life was like before the outbreak for whoever she had just put down. Or for herself really.
Aubrey glanced over her shoulder quickly to be certain Stacie was still fine as Beca and Jesse quickly disposed of their own biters. Stacie calmly grabbed the remaining biter by the shoulder to steady it and then quickly stabbed downward right into the crown of its head. It crumpled to the ground with no difficulty and Aubrey smiled.
"See, I told you."
Stacie smirked and stepped closer to the blonde and pulled her in for a searing kiss. When they broke apart, the brunette smirked and lifted her bloody knife and wiped it off on the sleeve of Aubrey's shirt, the blood smearing down the woman's shoulder.
"Aw that's disgusting." Aubrey groaned. "Now I'll be the one late for dinner because I'll have to change."
Stacie smiled again and pressed a quick kiss to Aubrey's cheek. "Don't worry, I'll help you. Only one thing worth missing Donald dinners…"
The blonde licked her lips and nodded.
"Ok, come on you two." Beca called, already heading back to the car. "It'll be dark soon."
xxxx
"Any trouble?" Chloe called as she stepped closer to the SVU that had just come to a stop in the drive of the building they were all currently calling home.
"Nope." Stacie replied, Aubrey's hand firmly in her own. "Has dinner been served yet?"
The redhead chuckled and shook her head. "Not yet. You haven't missed whatever amazing creation he's serving tonight."
"Thank God." The brunette muttered, pulling Aubrey along behind her.
Jesse rounded the car and pressed a kiss to Beca's cheek as he passed, carrying the equipment toward the building. She smiled as she watched him follow the other two inside.
"The windmill still in good shape?" Chloe asked, falling into step beside her friend.
Beca nodded and shouldered her pack. "Yeah seems to be fine. We stopped to take out a few biters that were headed in this direction. Just thought it would best not to take a chance."
"Makes sense." Chloe replied absentmindedly.
"You ok?" Beca asked, eyeing the woman next to her.
Chloe smiled at the shorter woman. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be? We made it through another day, Donald is on dinner duty, Lily hasn't gone psycho and killed us all. Life is good…well, as good as can be expected since the end of civilization as we know it."
Beca rolled her eyes but chuckled.
"Hurry up you bitches!" Amy called from the doorway. "Donald says dinner is up in five so get a move on if you expect to get anything."
xxxx
Beca glanced around the room at her friends as they were all gathered together to eat. They were all she had left. When the unthinkable happened and the world went to shit, they had banded together and sought a safe haven together. They had stuck together from then on. Others had joined. And they had lost people too.
It had been over a year since the outbreak or whatever it was. And no one really knew what it was. Only that life would never be the same. There was no point in asking why or how. They had survived and they were together. That was all that mattered. And there didn't seem to be any government fighting for a cure or trying to reestablish organization.
News reports had been scattered at first, reporting rumored suspicious activity. But no real facts so no one really paid much attention. And then it was too late. News stations and radio stations broadcasted desperate reports but all anyone had to do was look out their own windows to see something had gone terribly wrong.
It was dumb luck that they had all been able to stick together. She was in her junior year at Barden, still leading the Bellas. Aubrey and Chloe had randomly stuck around, the blonde for law school, and the redhead was teaching at a local middle school.
Beca had a sneaking suspicion that Chloe remained because Aubrey had. And it was no secret that Aubrey chose to attend law school in a nearby town to stay close to Stacie. If the blonde was to make time for a relationship with anyone, Beca had expected it would have been Chloe. But Aubrey and Stacie seemed blissfully in love. But then so did Chloe.
The brunette let her gaze rest on her best friend. The redhead was laughing at something Amy had said. She looked happy but Beca couldn't help but notice Chloe's smile slip just slightly when the redhead glanced to Aubrey and Stacie who were laughing along but snuggled together comfortably.
Beca snapped her gaze back from the couple to Chloe. She caught the redhead's eye and her friend smiled back to her as if all was right with the world.
xxxx
Dinner ended and the group scattered for the night, some to keep watch, others to their own space. Chloe smiled sadly as she watched Aubrey and Stacie wandering away hand in hand, all smiles. She only watched for a few moments before she turned away and allowed her gaze to wander over the once-grand lobby of the old hotel they had recently claimed as their home. She leaned against the railing with her hands clasped in front of her, not quite ready to retreat to her own room just yet.
"Hey, Chloe?"
The redhead smiled again and glanced back over her shoulder where Aubrey stood gazing back at her with Stacie a few steps behind her. "Yeah Bree?"
"Get some rest tonight ok…we have a run tomorrow."
Chloe rolled her eyes but nodded with a smirk as Stacie practically began to drag Aubrey away toward their bedroom. "Yes ma'am. But I'm pretty sure you're the one in for a long night."
Aubrey blushed but couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she allowed Stacie to pull her into their room. The door was barely closed behind them before the blonde found herself pushed roughly against it with Stacie pressed against her trailing hot kisses down her neck.
"God, I've been waiting for this all day." Stacie husked, running her hands down Aubrey's hips.
Aubrey moaned and allowed her head to fall back to give the brunette more access. But as much as she was aching to feel Stacie under her own hands, Aubrey couldn't shake the memory of the sadness she detected in her best friend's bright blue eyes. She groaned. Stacie mistook the meaning of the noise and quickly ripped Aubrey's button up shirt open, buttons popping.
"Fuck." The blonde whimpered. Even as she burned in anticipation, Aubrey still couldn't block Chloe from her mind. "I worry about her."
Stacie abruptly stopped her movement and groaned with her lips still attached to her lover's collarbone. "Are you fucking kidding me? I am two seconds away from being naked and you're thinking about her?"
Aubrey grimaced as Stacie stepped away and smiled patiently back at her. "I'm sorry baby…Trust me…I want you naked, and soon. But I just can't help but think about how lonely she must be."
Stacie sighed and reached to tuck Aubrey's hair behind her ear gently. "Chloe…Chloe will be fine. She will be. There are plenty of people who would be more than happy to make sure she's good and taken care of. She's just too picky. But she has good taste, I'll give her that."
Aubrey rolled her eyes and swatted at Stacie with a laugh. "Shut up. How many times do I have to tell you, Chloe is not in love with me. And do I need to be worried? You seem awfully interested in Chloe getting 'taken care of'."
Stacie chuckled and shook her head. "The only woman I want to see taken care of is you…well and me of course." She once again pushed herself flush against the blonde and ran a hand suggestively up Aubrey's thigh. "Now will you please…stop worrying about anyone other than you and me right now?"
Aubrey moaned as Stacie cupped her center, the brunette smirking. The blonde nodded and was quickly pulled in for another searing kiss.
xxxx
Chloe rolled her eyes at the sound of the 'thump' from inside the room Aubrey and Stacie had just disappeared into. She shook her head and pushed herself away from the railing and decided to wander down to the lobby, still not quite ready to retire to her own room. She smiled and waved to the people she passed on the way in the dim lantern-lit path.
She didn't stop in the lobby however, and instead wandered out into the courtyard where Amy and Donald were keeping their watch.
"What's happening Red." Amy said with a salute.
Chloe smiled and dropped onto the stairs next to the two and gazed out into the darkness. No matter how long this new world lasted, the redhead was sure she would never get used to the darkness. No city skylines. No buzzing lights in parking garages. No street lamps.
The only light left was in the form of matches or lanterns or what flashlights still had working batteries.
The old bed and breakfast had served them well so far. It had been a plantation home originally and was remote enough that it wasn't easy to simply stumble upon. The fences surrounding the grounds also served to keep intruders, both dead and alive, out. But still the redhead felt a chill. She wondered if she would ever feel secure again. Chloe dropped her hand to the pistol strapped to her leg out of reflex.
"Easy there Chlo." Donald said with a chuckle. "It's all quiet tonight so don't go all guns blazing on us."
Chloe laughed finally and shrugged. "Sorry…just a little on edge I guess."
"Well no need to worry ginger." Amy said, making pistol motions with her fingers. "Fat Patricia and Donald are on watch tonight so you just rest easy. We'll protect you."
"Be still my heart." Chloe replied with a laugh. She fanned herself as if she were a damsel in distress who had just been rescued.
The sound of footsteps approaching from behind caught their attention and their laughter faded.
"Chloe, what are you doing out here?" Beca called. "We have a run tomorrow so you don't have to keep watch tonight…in fact you should probably get some rest."
The redhead chuckled slightly at the sight of her friend approaching, Jesse close behind. "Why is everyone so concerned with my sleep habits tonight? Don't you worry about me. I'll retire, alone, shortly and be bright eyed and bushy tailed for the run tomorrow."
"Somebody needs to get laid." Amy muttered with a sideways glance to Donald. He simply nodded in agreement.
Beca smirked but eyed her friend suspiciously. She turned to Jesse and smiled. "I'll be up in a few, ok?"
The man smiled and nodded, taking the hint to give them a few minutes. "Goodnight guys."
Beca smiled at him again as he turned to head back inside. She then turned back to her friends. "You two ok for watch? You're not too tired or anything?"
Donald and Amy both shook their heads, indicating they were fine.
"Ok" Beca replied. "Keep each other alert ok? Seriously guys, we can't get too comfortable. One of those things could get through the gate, there could be a hole in the fence or something. One gets in and it just takes one bite…"
They both nodded solemnly. Chloe took note of Beca's uneasiness and she too nodded before hopping to her feet. She decided to make her way to her room if for no other reason than to put her friend's mind at ease as far as she was concerned for the run the next day. The two fell into step beside each other as they wandered back inside.
"You ok Beca?"
The brunette nodded but didn't smile. "I am. I just worry that we're getting lazy…complacent. It's been a month since we lost anyone."
"That's a good thing actually." Chloe said softly. "This is a pretty solid place…we're lucky. And all the supplies we've been able to find…we have weapons and supplies, we have food. We're really lucky."
"We are." Beca agreed. "But Jessica should have been too. And Denise…"
Chloe wrapped an arm around the shorter woman's shoulders and squeezed. "That wasn't your fault Beca, it wasn't. You couldn't have stopped what happened, no one could. But knowing you, you feel responsible for all of us. Ya know, you and Aubrey are a lot more alike than either of you are willing to admit."
"Bite your tongue bitch." Beca joked. "Speaking of Aubrey…how are you?"
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Subtle topic change there, Mitchell. I'm fine. I got used to them being together a long time ago. She's happy so I'm happy."
Beca nodded. "She does seem happy, you're right about that."
"She loves Stacie. And Stacie loves her. She must…she hasn't been with anyone but Aubrey in like two years now. And she helps Aubrey relax. They're good for each other so I can't really complain."
Beca chuckled and shook her head. "You're probably the only person I know who doesn't hate their romantic rival."
"She makes Aubrey happy…I like her."
"You like everyone, little Miss Fucking Sunshine."
Chloe slapped the brunette's shoulder and rolled her eyes. "Well, this is my stop. Gotta get my rest…we have a run tomorrow you know."
Beca smiled at the redhead's smirk. "Damn right. Get some sleep."
Chloe chuckled when she saw Jesse waiting for Beca outside their room at the opposite end of the hall. "You too. I'm willing to guarantee I get more sleep than any of the rest you going on the run tomorrow. I'm the one going to bed alone remember?"
"That's your own choice and you know it Chloe." Beca replied. "In fact, I'm getting a little worried about you. From what I remember at Barden, you didn't go to bed alone very often. And there are plenty of people here who would be great for you."
"Was that an invitation?" Chloe interrupted with a wink.
The brunette laughed. "I'll have to run that by my boyfriend. If he said yes and then got hotter for you than me, I'd have to feed you to the biters so I'd say we better not stray into that dangerous territory."
Chloe laughed as well and waved goodnight as Beca continued down the hall. The redhead's smile faded slightly as she entered her room and closed the door softly behind her.
xxxx
"So," Aubrey said, squinting her eyes against the bright morning sun. "Which direction are we heading? We've been as far north as the airport. Should we keep going past that or in another direction?"
Jesse was leaning over the map that was spread out over the hood of the SUV studying it. The map had been marked and roads crossed out as they had fanned out for various runs. "Well, we'll probably need to score some more gasoline before we venture that far out again. What do you think about this section over here?"
Aubrey stepped closer and looked to where the man was pointing to on the map. There appeared to be a small town only a half an hour drive or so away.
"Looks fine by me." She replied. "Maybe we'll find gas and some more supplies. I love Donald's cooking but I'm getting a little tired of noodles. Maybe we can round up some canned meat or something…God I never thought I'd be excited at the thought of canned meat."
"Did I just hear you say you like spam?" Beca asked with a smirk as she approached, tightening her belt that had both a knife and pistol attached to it. "Queen B eats spam. Wish I had known that back at Barden."
Aubrey rolled her eyes but didn't respond. She instead glanced back over her shoulder where Chloe and Stacie were walking toward them, chatting amicably. She smiled at the sight of her girlfriend and best friend.
"Hi babe." Stacie said as they joined the group. She pulled Aubrey closer and kissed her tenderly.
"Hi." Aubrey returned with a smile.
"We ready to go?" Benji asked, his baseball bat firmly in his hand.
The others nodded and piled into the waiting SUV. Jesse hopped into the driver seat with Beca next to him. Benji, Chloe, Aubrey and Stacie took seats in the back. A second group with a few newer camp members hopped into a second van with Cynthia Rose taking lead in the driver seat, along with Uni and Lily. They pulled out, none looking behind them as they headed toward the small town marked on the map.
They drove for about thirty minutes before idling to a stop on the outskirts of town. It looked quiet. There were a number of buildings along the crisscrossing streets. A department store, grocery store, and a number of gas stations could be seen.
"That's a lot of places for biters to be hanging out." Stacie said softly.
They all stepped out of the vehicles and eyed their surroundings warily.
"Ok," Beca said, eying the group. "We stick together. We start at the far end of this street and we work our way back to the cars. Mike, you stay with the cars to make sure no one comes along to try to jack them. If a group of people come along looking for trouble, tap the horn three times and we'll know to come back. But only if it's an emergency. Got it?"
The new camp member nodded solemnly.
"Alright, let's go then."
The group, minus Mike, headed out slowly. They walked about ten blocks or so to get to the farthest building, passing a women's clothing store along the way. Aubrey paused briefly and looked in the window with a sigh. She would have shopped in a store like this before. Stacie stepped up behind her and dropped her chin to the blonde's shoulder.
"That yellow one would look amazing on you."
Aubrey smiled and glanced sideways at her girlfriend. "I like that one. Maybe I'd let you borrow it."
"Come on you two, stay together." Beca hissed from a short distance away. Stacie rolled her eyes.
From her spot next to Beca, Chloe smirked. "Ya know, I appreciate the effort, but you can't keep them from canoodling all the time."
Beca glanced at the redhead with a smirk of her own. "I can try. Anything to get under Aubrey's skin. She's still fun to mess with even if it is the end of the world. Besides, they should be focused, not window shopping. We're kind of in the middle of a zombie apocalypse here remember?"
Chloe chuckled and once again glanced around looking for any sign of trouble. A handful of biters were trudging down one of the side streets, seemingly unaware of their presence. She pressed a finger to her lips and pointed toward them. The brunette nodded and signaled to the rest of the group to be on the lookout as well.
The last building on the row happened to be a grocery store. Jesse tapped on the glass door just loudly enough to alert any biters inside but not enough to draw the attention of those that might be milling about on the streets nearby. It seemed quiet inside so the group slipped in, prying the sliding glass doors open.
"Ok, just like we've always done, two groups, start on the ends and meet back in the middle. Yell if there's trouble."
They split into two groups and went on their way filling their packs with what hadn't already been picked over. The group had been together long enough to have the runs down to a fairly efficient system. Beca was always a little nervous introducing new members but understood everyone had to pull their weight to keep the camp alive.
They met back in the middle of the store and surveyed the supplies they had found. They were just repacking everything when a car horn blaring outside caught their attention.
"Oh fuck." Beca hissed.
Biters were filling the street between the store and the SUV where Mike was frantically waving and honking the horn.
"Guys!" He yelled. "Biters, help!"
"No shit. He's drawing them from everywhere, that fucking idiot!" Uni yelled.
"Mike stop!" Chloe yelled. "Stop with the horn!"
It was impossible to hear her over the blaring horn and more biters were filing into the street.
"Shit, where are they all coming from?" Aubrey grunted as she pulled her hatchet and pistol free. Without a glance behind her, the blonde charged toward the closest biter and sank the blade into its forehead.
The rest of the group quickly followed suit and charged toward the scattered biters. They pushed their way back up the street clearing their way through the closest group of biters. Beca relaxed slightly at seeing a clear path back to the SUVs. The friends all glanced around as the last biter between them and the safety of the vehicles fell to be certain they were all safe and uninjured.
"Where's Stacie?" Aubrey asked suddenly.
They all turned quickly as if expecting to see the brunette right behind them. Aubrey felt her stomach drop as she continued to scan the surrounding area with no sign of her girlfriend. Biters were still appearing from around building corners and out of the surrounding woods trudging closer. They needed to leave, quickly. The blonde's frantic gaze finally settled on movement she spotted across the parking lot.
"Oh God." Aubrey muttered.
Stacie was crawling her way through a small opening in the battered doorway of the clothing store they had passed, a yellow sweater grasped tightly in her hand. She had gone back for the sweater. A stupid fucking sweater.
The brunette managed to pull herself through the small hole but was unprepared for the number of biters that had quickly descended. The glass from inside the store was also cracking under the weight of the biters trying to exit the building in pursuit of the fleeing woman.
"Stacie!" Aubrey screamed. The blonde took off at a sprint to where her girlfriend was quickly being swarmed across the parking lot.
The brunette let loose a terrifying screech as teeth sank into her shoulder. She twisted and fired her pistol frantically, desperate to clear a path through the biters closing in on her. The yellow sweater fluttered to the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, Stacie could see Aubrey running at full speed towards her. The others weren't far behind. Pain shot up through her leg as yet another set of teeth found purchase in her flesh.
"Aubrey!" Stacie screamed in agony as her legs buckled. As she hit the pavement and rolled, she closed her eyes against the rotting corpses that descended upon her.
"No!"
Aubrey's scream caught the attention of a number of biters and they turned from Stacie and began to slump towards her. She viciously threw herself at them, plunging her hatchet into first one skull and then another. She grunted as she tried to pull the blade free, another biter lunging for her.
A shot rang out and the biter about to lunge for her arm fell to the ground, its head blown open. Chloe appeared at her side then, smoke still billowing from the barrel of her pistol. The redhead swung with her other hand and landed her machete into another one's forehead.
Aubrey wasted no time in moving on to the next biter between her and Stacie. The others had already joined as well and were helping dispose of the remaining undead. When they were finally cleared, all that remained was blood and guts and bodies.
Aubrey released an anguished cry as she dropped to the ground next to Stacie. The brunette was struggling to breathe, blood gurgling in her throat. Her abdomen was ripped open, her intestines spilling out onto the pavement beneath her. The biters had also nearly ripped her arm from her body where the teeth had sunk into the flesh of her shoulder.
"Stacie." Aubrey moaned through clenched teeth. She reached and brushed a few stray strands of hair from the brunette's forehead.
Stacie twitched on the ground and arched slightly, desperate to address the woman hovering above her. All she could manage was a gurgled whimper. Aubrey collapsed forward and pressed her lips to Stacie's head. She didn't notice Chloe behind her bend at her waist and retch onto the pavement, tears streaming down her cheeks. Beca stood close to her friend, her hand on her shoulder.
"Aub-" Stacie finally choked out, blood gurgling between her lips.
"Shh, shh." Aubrey hushed. "It's ok, you're ok baby."
The blonde glanced to her side where she saw Stacie desperately grasping for the pistol she had dropped. Her fingers grazed it but she was unable to get a solid grip on the weapon.
"Please." The brunette wheezed. "Help…me. Don't let me…be one of them…"
Aubrey choked out a sob and shook her head. "No, no, no, no. Stacie, please, please don't leave me. Please!"
"Aubrey." Stacie whispered, her voice ragged but steady. "I love you."
The blonde nodded, still crying and cupped Stacie's cheeks in desperation. "I love you too…so much."
"Then…help me." Stacie rasped before once again choking on the blood pooling in her throat.
Aubrey blinked her tears away and scanned her eyes down her lover's body. There was no denying the fact that Stacie would die. Her intestines were on the pavement and she was bleeding out from multiple wounds. She was dying. And then she would turn. But Aubrey steeled her nerves, determined that the woman she loved would have her death her own way.
She glanced to her side once again and saw that Stacie had managed to wrap her fingers around the small pistol that was lying next to her. But she didn't seem able to raise it any further, her strength fading. The blonde released a shaky breath but reached and wrapped her hand around Stacie's. Aubrey could have sworn she saw something akin to relief flash in the brunette's eyes as she helped lift Stacie's hand.
Her vision blurred through her tears as she helped position the pistol against Stacie's temple. The brunette's lips were curving into a smile as the shot sounded.
Aubrey screamed and collapsed forward onto Stacie's body. She gathered the brunette's bloody body into her arms and rocked, her face buried in the limp woman's neck. Aubrey was trembling when she finally released Stacie, covered in her blood. Her eyes landed on the pistol that had slipped from both their fingers.
With a feral scream, Aubrey lunged for the gun. Her fingers closed around the weapon and she lifted it toward her own head. But a flash of red slammed into her and the pistol clattered uselessly off to the side once again.
"No!" Aubrey screamed. She struggled to throw Chloe off of her but the redhead held on. "Let me go! Let me go with her! Get the fuck off of me!"
"No." Chloe cried, her arms wrapped around the blonde. "No Aubrey, stop. Stop."
"Fuck, we have got to go." Jesse hissed, eyeing their surroundings as more biters trudged closer, the sound attracting them.
Aubrey was wailing in Chloe's arms as the redhead tried to control her and keep her from harming herself. Jesse and Benji rushed them, each grabbing one of their arms as they tried to usher them back towards the vehicles as countless biters broke through the trees and came from around the corners of the buildings.
Chloe refused to release the blonde as the two were hefted from the ground and dragged back toward the waiting SUVs. Aubrey fell limp and Chloe grunted with the effort of keeping her arms around the woman as they were forced back in a rush, the biters following closely behind.
The blonde was still limp and unresponsive when the doors of the SUV slammed shut. They sped off back toward camp, the biters reaching after them with their empty stares and clawing hands.
Chloe tightened her grip on Aubrey as the SUV sped back toward their camp. The blonde remained limp in her arms, the pungent smell of blood that covered her filling the cabin of the truck. When they ground to a halt in the driveway of the bed and breakfast, Aubrey still remained motionless. Beca turned in the front seat and eyed both Chloe and the blonde sadly.
"Aubrey." Chloe whispered, her arms still wrapped tightly around the blonde in her lap. "Aubrey we're home."
The redhead blinked against tears as Aubrey remained unresponsive in her arms. The passenger door opened slowly and Jesse stepped closer. He gently scooped Aubrey into his arms and Chloe silently slipped out of the SUV behind him.
The members of the camp had all gathered at the rush of the SUVs as they returned to the camp. They stood staring and split a path as Jesse carried the blonde back toward the building, Chloe and Beca trailing along behind them.
He carried her back to her own room and gently deposited her onto the closest bed. Aubrey remained unmoving. Until her gaze settled on a knife on the night stand next to the bed. Jesse had barely released her when she threw herself toward the table with a strangled cry and scrambled to wrap her hand around the blade. Chloe jumped toward the blonde at the same time Jesse did and both rushed to wrestle the knife from Aubrey's hand. Chloe finally wrenched the blade free and slung it toward the door of Aubrey's room with a growl.
When the blonde realized she had been stopped once again, she dropped to the bed and covered her head with her arms and sobbed quietly into her pillow.
"Everything out." Chloe whispered. "Get everything out of here that she could use to hurt herself. Now!"
Amy and Benji scrambled to clear out the room as Chloe dropped into a chair across from Aubrey. She reached and dropped her hand to the blonde's shoulder. Aubrey didn't even bother to shrug her off, she simply buried her face deeper into the pillow.
xxxx
"Aubrey." Chloe finally said softly. "Sweetie, let's get you cleaned up ok?"
The blonde did not acknowledge her and simply remained on the bed unmoving.
Chloe sighed but stepped closer to the bed. In her hands she held a bowl of warm water and a wash cloth. Ashley stood close behind after draping a change of clothes over the chair by the door.
"Come on Aubrey, sit up please." Chloe continued. "Ashley is here too to check you over. We just want to make sure you're ok and get you cleaned up and then you can sleep ok?"
The redhead and Ashley exchanged a worried glance when Aubrey still didn't move. They stepped closer and Chloe reached for the blonde. Together, the two lifted the taller woman into a seated position. Aubrey didn't fight them.
Chloe swallowed down bile at the sight of Aubrey's blood stained clothing. The blonde even had remnants of Stacie's blood on her face, neck and hands. Aubrey continued to sit, unmoving, as the two undressed her.
Ashley examined the blonde for any injuries she hadn't disclosed and sighed in relief at finding none. Chloe nodded her thanks as the younger woman slipped quietly out of the room. The redhead dipped the wash cloth into the warm water and gently began to clean the blood from Aubrey's skin.
"I said I liked the sweater." Aubrey whispered as the redhead continued to gently bathe her. "And she went back for it. A fucking sweater… And now she's gone."
"I'm so sorry Aubrey." Chloe whispered in return.
The blonde simply blinked away tears but said nothing more.
Chloe sighed but continued to clean her friend. When she was finally finished wiping away the blood, she helped dress Aubrey in the clean t-shirt and sweat pants as well. Aubrey then dropped back to the bed and rolled onto her side, her back facing Chloe.
The redhead sighed but didn't push the other woman. Instead, she simply scooted a chair closer to the bed and settled in to keep watch over her friend.
xxxx
"Come on Aubrey, please?" Chloe cried, trying to spoon soup into the blonde's mouth. "It's been three days, you have to eat."
Aubrey had remained in bed for nearly three months since Stacie died and had largely refused to acknowledge anyone. Chloe had remained with her almost constantly, only leaving when she was certain someone else was available to keep watch over the blonde. Chloe also did her best to ignore the fact that the camp was struggling under the extra weight of having to cover not only Aubrey's responsibilities, but her own. But still she refused to leave. While Aubrey had made no more effort to end her own life, Chloe was not about to take any chances and insisted that someone be with the blonde at all times.
For the first few weeks, Aubrey had been mostly compliant. She would allow Chloe or Ashley to help bathe her and even eat a few bites of food before collapsing back onto the bed. But for the past three days, she had refused any and all attempts. It appeared that she had finally simply given up.
"Aubrey," Chloe continued. "You know we can't afford to waste food. This is yours…Donald made it for you special, no noodles. Come on, please? Just…take a few bites. For me?"
The blonde clenched her jaw and still refused to move. "Chloe, don't you understand?" Aubrey finally hissed. "I don't want to eat. I just want to be left alone. And yes, I want to die in peace. Why is that so fucking hard for you to understand? Just leave me alone."
Chloe sighed and let the spoon drop back into the bowl with a soft 'clink'. She felt tears stinging her eyes but she blinked them away. "I'm not asking you to get up or stop mourning or anything Aubrey. I'm just asking you to eat a few bites of soup that Donald made especially for you. We all care about you Aubrey. I care about you!"
"If you care about me leave me alone." The blonde replied, the bite from her tone fading slightly. "Stacie's gone. I want to go too. This fucking, miserable world isn't worth living in. So yes, I want to die and leave all this mess behind. And if you actually care about me, you'll leave me alone or better yet, bring me a pistol."
"No." Chloe said firmly. "Actually, I care about you too much to let you go. In fact…I love you Aubrey. I have for a long time. And I don't want to see you die! Be as sad as you want over losing Stacie, I get it. But you're not alone Aubrey. We're all here for you…I'm here for you. I'm still your best friend right? Does that not count for anything? I love you! I'm in love-"
Aubrey sighed wearily. "Stop Chloe. Just stop. You're not in love with me. I know you think you are…even thought so back at Barden, but you weren't. I had to tell Stacie all the time that you weren't actually in love with me. I don't have the energy to keep telling you too Chloe so just don't ok? You're not in love with me. We're friends, that's all we've ever been. I love…loved Stacie."
Chloe felt as if the air had been knocked from her lungs. She blinked back tears as Aubrey's words sank in. She had known all along how Chloe felt. The redhead stood from the edge of the bed and placed the bowl of cooling soup on the nightstand next to her.
"I know you love Stacie." She said, her voice soft. "And I would never try to take her place. But you're wrong about one thing. We weren't just friends…we were best friends. I was there for you when your father kicked you out, when you threw up in the middle of a stupid fucking singing competition, and when you caught Stacie with that football player. I'm not just your friend Aubrey, I'm your best friend. I'm just sorry you don't think that's anything worth living for."
Aubrey clenched her jaw again at the sound of Chloe exiting the room and closing the door softly behind her. It was the first time Aubrey had been left alone in months. She sighed as she glanced around the now empty room. Instead of searching for some way to finally end her suffering, Aubrey simply closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep.
xxxx
Beca glanced up in surprise at the sight of Chloe quickly walking past, heading for the front lobby doors. The brunette quickly scrambled after her friend.
"Chloe? Chloe wait!"
The redhead didn't slow even as she made her way outside. She had made it nearly to the first gate before Beca finally caught up to her and pulled her to a stop.
"Chloe? What the fuck? Is Aubrey-"
"Aubrey's fine." Chloe hissed, tears of both sorrow and anger spilling down her cheeks. "She wants to die, let her die. It's her choice, not mine."
Beca grabbed Chloe's shoulders and tried to force the clearly upset woman to collect herself and explain what had happened. "What's going on? Is anyone with her?"
The redhead tried to steady her breathing and brushed at the tears. She shook her head. "No. She's alone. That's how she wants it. I told her I love her and she didn't care. She doesn't care. I'm not enough to make her want to live. I can't make her want to live so I give up. If she wants to die, I have to let her."
"Shit." Beca replied softly. "Shit Chloe, I'm sorry."
Chloe seemed ready to shrug the smaller woman off and continue to storm her way off the safety of the fenced in grounds. The brunette fisted her shirt in her hand and held her steady.
"Chloe, stop, listen to me. She's hurting, you know that. She just needs more time. And yes, it has to be her decision to live. But you can't go off and do something stupid because she's hurting and lashed out. She loves you, you know that. Maybe not like she loves Stacie but Aubrey loves you. And she'll eventually come around but this…fucking zombies and her girlfriend dying…it's a lot to handle. But I need you to come back inside with me ok? Come on Chloe, come back inside…we all need you."
The redhead finally nodded, seemingly calmer.
"Yeah?" Beca asked, still reluctant to release her friend. "Chloe, I can't lose you. We kind of count on you, little Miss Fucking Sunshine. Everyone here loves you. Hell, I love you. If I were gay, I'd be totally gay for you."
Chloe finally snorted out a laugh as the tension, and energy, seemed to drain from her body. She nodded. "Yeah you would. You were almost there too…I remember those looks in the shower. Too bad Tom, or whatever his name was, interrupted."
"I knew it!" Beca exclaimed. "You weren't interested in my voice at all. I feel so used."
Chloe choked out a laugh and threw her arms around the smaller woman. "I love you too by the way."
Beca squeezed her tightly before reluctantly releasing her friend. Instead of letting Chloe go completely however, the brunette kept her arm wrapped firmly around the taller woman's waist.
The two walked slowly back toward the house where Beca deposited Chloe with Jesse and Benji, wordlessly motioning for her boyfriend to keep an eye on her. Jesse nodded slightly and quickly pulled the redhead into conversation. Beca smiled and swiped a fresh bowl of steaming soup from the table before narrowing her eyes and turning on her heel.
She made her way to Aubrey's room and squared her shoulders before pushing the door open. For Chloe's sake, Beca hoped Aubrey hadn't done something stupid. Chloe would never forgive herself if the first time she left the blonde alone, Aubrey had finally ended her own life. She dropped the fresh bowl of soup on the night stand next to the cold bowl.
Beca sighed in relief as Aubrey's eyes fluttered open upon hearing the brunette stomp closer. "Aubrey."
The blonde groaned and once again let her eyes drift closed. "Did Chloe send you in here? For fuck's sake, can I not just be left alone to die in peace?"
"No." Beca replied. "Chloe didn't send me. I came on my own to make sure you haven't done something stupid."
Aubrey simply groaned again as she rolled to her other side and turned her back to Beca. The brunette clenched her fists and stepped around the bed, refusing to speak to the back of Aubrey's head.
"Look Aubrey…take all the time you need. Stay in here, mourn, whatever. But you do not get to die. Do you hear me? Chloe loves you whether you want to hear it or not and even whether I want her to or not. She wants you alive so you stay alive, is that clear? Chloe is one of the only good things left in this world and you cannot strip her hope away from her. We're all counting on it. So stay in here as long as you like but you will stay alive for Chloe. Hopefully she'll eventually get over you and find someone else but you'll always be her best friend so you stay alive for her. Now…I'm going to check and make sure Cynthia Rose and Lily are set for watch tonight and when I come back…half of this bowl of soup had better be gone."
Beca turned on her heel and stomped out before giving Aubrey the chance to respond. Not that she expected the blonde to actually answer. When Beca checked back in on Aubrey a half an hour later, she smirked at seeing a decent portion of the soup missing from the bowl. She smirked but didn't say anything as she left the room and closed the door behind her.
xxxx
Chloe quietly slipped into Aubrey's room on her way out to go on a run. It had been almost a week since she had last checked on the blonde but the remaining Bellas made certain to bring meals and check on her a few times a day. "Do you need anything before I leave?"
The blonde forced her eyes open but barely spared a glance at the other woman before they drifted closed once again. "No."
Chloe bit her bottom lip worriedly, wondering if she had made a mistake in leaving Aubrey alone for so long. But the blonde had wanted space so Chloe had given it to her.
"Aubrey-"
"I'm fine. Just go Chloe."
The redhead once again glanced around to make certain there was nothing that could be used as a weapon for Aubrey to hurt herself with. Her eyes fell on the half eaten dinner from the night before. Chloe silently stepped further into the room and picked up the dish. "Ok. Well, I'll come by to check on you later when I get back."
Aubrey didn't respond. Chloe sighed and slipped out of the room once again but made certain to leave the door open.
She headed down the stairs after gathering the last of the supplies she would need while out on the run. She checked again to be certain both her pistol and machete were strapped to her belt. The redhead slipped her pack onto her back and stepped out into the sunlight where Beca and Jesse were waiting. Cynthia Rose and Amy followed shortly.
"Alright, let's go." Jesse said with a nod toward the waiting SUV.
They drove further to the south than they had previously been, hoping to locate fresh supplies. They had been on the road for nearly 45 minutes when they spotted a utility truck sitting, seemingly abandoned on the side of the road.
"Let's see if there's any gasoline or other supplies in the back."
Beca nodded in agreement as Jesse pulled their SUV to a stop on the opposite side of the road. The others also slipped out and glanced around looking for any sign of trouble.
Jesse, Amy, and Cynthia Rose headed to the truck to see what supplies they could gather while something a short distance away caught Beca's attention and she headed toward it, her pistol already in her hand. Chloe watched her walking off and saw what appeared to be a metal coil of some sort glinting in the sunlight ahead. The redhead followed a short distance behind Beca.
Her stomach dropped as the familiar groaning of biters met her ears.
"Is that what I think it is?" Chloe called from behind Beca as the shorter woman rounded to the far side of the metal coil.
The brunette grimaced and nodded as she slipped her pistol back into the holster. "Yep. That is a pit full of biters."
The redhead approached the pit on the opposite side of the opening from where Beca was standing and stepped as close to it as she could get without getting snagged on the coil of razor wire surrounding the opening. The pit itself was at about ten feet by eight feet and had at least twenty biters in it. It was also about eight feet deep so that while the biters could not climb out, there certainly wasn't a lot of room from the top of the pit to their reaching arms and gnashing teeth.
"Why would someone do this?" Chloe muttered. "Why keep a pit full of them? Someone went to a lot of trouble to dig this thing and then get 'em in there."
"Yeah and conveniently with an abandoned truck nearby. I don't think they're anyone I want to stick around to meet so let's tell them to forget the truck and get the hell out here. This feels like a trap."
The brunette turned on her heel but stopped abruptly as her toe nudged something buried under a thin layer of leaves and a clinking sound met her ear. Beca glanced down in confusion. When she realized what she had bumped her eyes widened. "Shit, Chloe don't move!"
Chloe startled at the shorter woman's exclamation and quickly turned to face her friend. There was a sickening snapping sound before she registered the pain shooting up her body. With a pained cry, the redhead toppled over into the razor wire with the top half of her body dangling precariously into the pit.
"Shit, Chloe!" Beca screamed, quickly rounding the side of the large opening. "Jesse, help!"
The brunette dove and grabbed for Chloe before the other woman could fall further into the gaping hole in the ground. Beca hissed as the razor wire dug into her own thighs and she desperately clutched for a firm hold on her friend.
"Beca!" Chloe screamed. The biters had swarmed and were all grabbing at her as she flailed. She could smell their rotting flesh and felt bony fingers grazing her as they clawed desperately at their next meal.
"I've got you Chloe." Beca grunted. "You're not going to fall, I won't let you. I've got you! Fuck…Jesse!"
Jesse, Amy, and Cynthia Rose finally reached them and each clambered for their friends, desperately tugging them both back and away from the pit of biters.
Chloe screamed again at the feel of the razor wire slicing into her leg as she was pulled away from the pile. The sharp talons simply dug in deeper to her flesh as the strand she was tangled in constricted around her leg. But that pain was nothing compared to the pain of the large square metal trap that she had stepped into. Two rows of metal teeth had impaled her leg, one just above her ankle, the other just below her knee.
"Fuck, get it off, get it off!" Chloe wailed, frantically thrashing against both the wire and the trap.
Beca ignored the cuts to her own thighs and abdomen and threw herself on top of the redhead and attempted to hold her steady. "Chloe stop, you have to stay still. The more you move, the more the wire will cut you ok?"
"Fuck, she's right Chloe, stop moving!" Jesse hissed as he took in the full view of her injuries. Her left leg was mangled and bloody.
"That does not look kosher." Amy muttered at the sight.
Cynthia Rose quickly elbowed her. "Ok, Beca, hold her still. Jesse, we're going to pry open the trap and when we do, Amy you lift her leg out. Got it?"
They all nodded and positioned themselves. The rusty trap was stiff with age and the two of them grunted against the weight of it. Their muscles strained as they finally pried the teeth apart. Amy lifted Chloe's leg up and away just as the two lost their grip on the metal trap and it snapped shut once again.
At the rough movement and the feel of the razor wire once again slicing into her leg, Chloe twisted with a groan and vomited onto the ground.
Bare bone could be seen even through the bloody mess that was the redhead's mangled leg. Beca felt bile rising at the sight. "Easy, it's ok." She mumbled.
Jesse fumbled and tried to untangle the wire from Chloe's leg. He hissed as it cut into his hands but he continued to try and remove it from their friend's leg.
The sudden sound of a loud car engine approaching made them all freeze.
"I don't think we want to wait and see if that's the person or group that made a pit for biters." Beca mumbled, still trying to hold Chloe still.
Jesse clenched his jaw before he pushed himself off the ground and sprinted back the relatively short distance toward the SUV. He jumped into the driver seat and pulled the vehicle closer so Chloe wouldn't have as far to go. He sprinted back to them seconds later with wire cutters and began snipping the wire strands haphazardly. "Ashley can dig the rest out when we get back to camp but we have to get the fuck out of here."
In the distance the friends could see a dust cloud forming as the vehicle approaching drew closer. Jesse ignored Chloe's cries of pain as he scooped her up from the ground and broke into a run for the SUV, the rest of the group steps behind him.
"Hold on!" He yelled as they settled in and he stomped on the gas pedal.
Beca tried her best to hold Chloe still but the dirt road was uneven and rugged at best. She settled in behind the redhead and wrapped her arms around her tightly, not sure if she was trying to comfort her friend or herself. "Hang on Chloe, we'll be there soon."
Chloe was practically trembling as she tried to breathe through the pain of her mangled leg. "Shit that looks bad!" she hissed. "Is that bone? I don't think it should look like that…"
"No shit it shouldn't." Amy muttered with a grimace.
"Don't look at it Chloe." Beca said, squeezing the redhead tightly. "It's ok, it's just your leg. You're going to be fine. Ashley can fix it! It's just a leg wound…You won't die from a leg wound."
Chloe nodded frantically against the brunette's shoulder as she clenched her jaw against the pain. "I hope you're right. Aubrey, she…she wouldn't take losing me very well."
"Aubrey wouldn't take it well?" Beca cried incredulously. "Fuck Aubrey, I wouldn't take it very well!"
Chloe squeezed Beca's arms that were holding her tightly before once again crying out in pain as the truck hit yet another dip in the road.
xxxx
Aubrey's eyes fluttered open at some distant noise. It sounded like some kind of a commotion. She thought maybe there was even a scream. But she couldn't be sure. She didn't have the energy to think about it. With a soft sigh, she let her eyes drift closed once again.
Until the sound of heavy footsteps thudding against the hardwood floor of the old manor home met her ears. She blinked her eyes open and squinted slightly to make out Beca standing in front of her. The brunette's shirt was ripped and stained with blood and she looked angry. Beca eyed her momentarily before dropping into the chair directly across from her bed.
"What do you want?" Aubrey whispered hoarsely.
"We went on a run." Beca replied flatly.
Aubrey simply blinked, offering no other indication that she had heard.
"Jesse, Amy, Cynthia Rose, me…and Chloe." Beca continued, her eyes narrowing. "We had a little trouble. Did you hear us when we got back a few minutes ago?"
"I heard noise. You woke me up." Aubrey muttered as her eyes drifted closed once again. She was too tired to keep them open any longer.
Beca clenched her jaw and released a hiss before standing to her feet. The abrupt movement caused Aubrey's eyes to snap open once again.
"Aren't you going to ask what the noise was or if everyone is alright…if Chloe is alright? Or do you even care?" Beca snapped.
Aubrey sighed as Beca's words finally registered and she understood what Beca was trying to relay. Something bad had happened. To Chloe. She should care. Chloe was her best friend. But unfortunately, the blonde felt nothing. She blinked slowly. Of course she didn't want Chloe to be hurt. No one could want harm to come to Chloe of all people but Aubrey was too exhausted to feel anything. She had nothing left. Besides…Maybe it was for the best. This world wasn't worth living in. Maybe Chloe was better off.
"Is she dead?" The blonde finally replied, emotionless.
The brunette clenched her fists so tightly she could feel her nails digging into her palms as she struggled to control her own emotions. "Not yet." She said harshly. "But she's hurt pretty badly. She'll be lucky to keep her leg…if she doesn't die from an infection or fucking bleed to death first."
Beca quickly stepped around the bed and strode to the door, her steps heavy and angry. She stopped in the doorway before leaving however. "Ya know," she said, stepping back toward the bed where the blonde had remained for months on end, still with her back turned, "there are a lot of people in this camp that would be every bit as torn up over Chloe dying as you are Stacie. But Chloe doesn't see any of them…she only sees you. So she might like to see you right now when she's hurting if you can bother to get your ass up and out of that bed."
Aubrey let her eyes drift closed once again as the sound of Beca's boot clad steps faded from earshot. The blonde sighed. Her mind involuntarily drifted back to the first day she had met Chloe. They were freshmen. Aubrey had all but insisted on a private room but as a freshman she had little say and found herself unfortunately paired with another incoming freshman, a Chloe Beale. She had tried her hardest to dislike the other girl. But the redhead had a way of putting her at ease, of breaking through her barriers. And by the end of their first semester, the two were inseparable.
They were complete opposites, Chloe all sunshine and rainbows, Aubrey serious and often prone to melancholy. Except when Chloe was around. They studied together, went to parties together. Even auditioned for the Bellas together. They were best friends.
Aubrey had noticed the subtle changes in the way Chloe reacted to her and even acted around her as the years passed. But she refused to believe it was more than the love of a best friend. She was too busy for a relationship anyway and Chloe would be off to her next crush any day now. It was no secret everyone loved Chloe and she could have her pick of suitors, both male and female.
And then she and Stacie were together. And the sexy brunette was all Aubrey could think of. She was consumed. But still Chloe was there, for every fight she and Stacie had, for every slight from her father. Chloe had stuck by her side even after it was clear that Aubrey was in love with Stacie and the redhead stopped going to bed with random people. The blonde hadn't wanted to think of why Chloe was suddenly celibate.
She owed Chloe. They were best friends once. She owed her a goodbye at least if Chloe really was dying. She was a Posen and Posen's were people of honor and duty. Even in the midst of an apocalypse.
Aubrey's body ached as she pushed herself to an upright position. The room swirled and she had to drop her head to fight the wave of dizziness. But still she pushed herself to her feet with a groan, her muscles screaming. Aubrey slowly made her way to the doorway, clutching the bed and a desk against the wall for support. She followed the only sounds she could make out down the hallway to where she vaguely remembered Ashley had set up her nursing station of sorts.
When she peeked into the room bustling with commotion, the blonde felt bile rising in her throat. Chloe was on the bed, covered in sweat and blood and appeared to be in agony. Aubrey chanced a glance at the redhead's left leg and had to quickly look away from the vision of mangled flesh and bone protruding.
Beca was at the head of the bed holding onto Chloe's shoulders while the redhead screamed and writhed on the bed in pain. Amy was holding the woman by her hips to help keep her steady as Ashley attempted to clean and treat the badly damaged leg. Razor wire could be seen still wrapped around Chloe's calf from where she had gotten ensnared from the fall. The large animal trap had been enough to snap the bone in the woman's leg and the razor wire she had fallen into had left her leg a bloody and mangled mess.
Aubrey once again swallowed against the bile rising in her throat and pushed herself away from the doorframe. She stumbled toward the bed, causing the women tending to Chloe to glance up in surprise. Chloe herself was in too much pain to register the blonde approaching.
The expression on Beca's face was unreadable as Aubrey dropped onto the edge of the bed and leaned over Chloe. She reached and slipped one hand into the redhead's, squeezing tightly. She dropped her other hand onto Chloe's sweaty brow and gently stroked her head.
"Chloe." Aubrey said quietly, so quietly it seemed odd amidst the hustle and bustle of the makeshift hospital room.
The redhead seemed to calm instantly as she gazed up at Aubrey. "Bree." She whispered.
The blonde smiled sadly and nodded. "I'm here Chloe. I'm here. Just…hang on, they're gonna fix you right up."
Chloe nodded tearfully. Beca wasn't certain whether Chloe simply didn't want to argue with her friend now that she was finally up or if she actually did believe the junior nursing student with no real experience would in fact be able to fix her mangled leg. Either way, Chloe forced a smile and held Aubrey's hand in a death grip.
"Stay with me?" Chloe choked out through the pain. "Promise."
Aubrey clenched her jaw but nodded. "I promise."
"Hang on Chloe." Ashley said. She sounded miles away to both of them as they held each other's gazes. "This is going to hurt."
xxxx
By the time the sun rose the following morning, Chloe had long since succumbed to the pain and was unconscious. Ashley had managed to remove all of the razor wire shreds and had reset the broken bone to the best of her ability with a makeshift splint in place. But the threat of infection was still serious and the redhead was already fighting a fever.
Aubrey remained by her side and gently sponged Chloe's sweaty brow and neck with a cloth and cold water that was in constant supply thanks to the other camp mates.
Beca stood at the foot of the bed and scowled at Aubrey as the blonde continued to bathe Chloe. The taller woman seemed content to ignore Beca even though she could feel her angry gaze drilling into the back of her head.
xxxx
Days passed and Aubrey remained with Chloe. Mainly because Ashley had all but ordered her to if there was any hope of Chloe surviving. She was in charge of trying to keep the redhead's fever under control by sponging her with cool water. She also cleaned the redhead's mangled leg every hour in between checkups from Ashley. Somehow, even with little to no medication, the redhead was fighting through the infection. Her sleep was fitful at best but still Aubrey remained with her, changing her bandages and cleaning her wounds, ignoring her own exhaustion.
"How is she?" Beca asked softly on the third day.
Aubrey barely spared her a glance as she struggled to calm the redhead. Chloe was caught somewhere between wakefulness and sleep, her fever sending her into fits of delirium. The blonde grunted as she once again forced Chloe to lie back onto the bed.
"Aubrey? Aubrey is that you?"
"Yes, Chloe." The blonde replied wearily. "I'm here. Just lie back ok? You should rest."
"Why don't you let me sit with her for a while?" Beca asked. "You look rough…go get some sleep."
Aubrey just shook her head. "She'll wear herself out and settle down soon enough. I'll sleep then."
"Aubrey! Please don't leave me…don't leave me here please! I love you!"
Beca caught the pained look that flashed on Aubrey's face but the blonde quickly schooled her features back to apparent apathy.
"I love you Aubrey, I do!" Chloe cried desperately. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but you could love me back, you could! Stacie-"
"Stop Chloe, just rest." Aubrey snapped impatiently. She clenched her jaw as she once again dropped the washcloth into the pan of cool water. Her breath was shaky as she slapped the wet cloth onto the redhead's forehead more roughly than she intended.
Beca started to protest but Chloe simply nodded finally and settled back onto the pillows. Within minutes she again succumbed to the fitful sleep that had been plaguing her for days as the fever continued. Aubrey sighed tiredly but continued to bathe the other woman, much more gently as Chloe simply muttered incoherently in her sleep.
xxxx
After nearly five days, Chloe's fever broke and she finally fell into a more restful sleep. She slept for nearly another full day with Aubrey and Beca both waiting for her to regain consciousness. Finally after nearly six days, a noise from the bed caught the blonde's attention after she had just roused from her spot napping in the chair next to the bed.
Chloe moaned as she finally stirred from her slumber. Aubrey moved and sat next to her, and gently wiped a cool cloth over the injured woman's forehead and chest as glassy blue eyes finally blinked open. It took Chloe a few moments for her senses to return and her vision to clear.
"Aubrey."
The blonde nodded without smiling. But still she continued to wipe Chloe's brow with the cool cloth.
"I'm not dead?" Chloe continued weakly.
Aubrey quirked a brow and shook her head. "If I'm not allowed to die in peace you sure as hell aren't."
Chloe choked out a laugh but quickly winced as the movement jostled the bed and shot pain through her leg. She reached for Aubrey's hand and squeezed it until the pain subsided slightly. The blonde eyed her warily as Chloe finally relaxed again. When Chloe sighed deeply as the pain eased, Aubrey then stood to her feet and quickly headed for the door.
"Try not to move too much." She called over her shoulder. "I'll go down to the kitchen to see if I can find some soup. You should get something on your stomach. I'm sorry we don't have much to give you for the pain."
She stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her before giving Chloe a chance to respond. When she was safely away from the redhead, Aubrey took a moment to steady herself. She had rejoined the world of the living nearly a week ago to tend to her friend. It had been a brief distraction from the pain of Stacie's memory. But now Aubrey wasn't certain how to proceed.
"Hey." Aubrey startled slightly at the sound of Beca approaching. "What's wrong? Oh God Chloe, is she-"
"She's awake." The blonde replied quickly at seeing the flash of fear on the smaller woman's face. "She's better. She should get something on her stomach so I was just going down to the kitchen to see if we have any soup or broth or something."
Beca nodded and smiled in relief. "That's great, thanks. I was just coming to check on her so I'll sit with her til you get back."
Aubrey nodded and turned away but only made it a few steps before Beca called for her once again. She turned back to the brunette expectantly.
"Aubrey…I'm…I'm really sorry about Stacie. And also sorry I didn't say so before. I know you loved her very much."
Aubrey blinked rapidly against the sudden sting she felt to her eyes and the painful clench to her heart. She nodded again.
"And thanks for taking care of Chloe. She's still going to need you, ya know."
The blonde sighed. "I'll go see what we have in the kitchen. You might want to see if Ashley has anything to give her for the pain. And we'll need to find crutches of some kind for when she's up again."
Beca nodded and watched the taller woman walk away. Aubrey hurried down the stairs in escape. Instead of heading for the kitchen though, the blonde veered and rushed outside and nearly collapsed on the steps of the front entrance as she tried to steady her breathing and regain her composure.
She barely noticed when Benji dropped to the ground next to her and draped an arm around her shoulders.
"She's either passed or she's awake and doing better." He said. "Otherwise you'd still be in there with her. So which is it?"
Aubrey exhaled slowly and brushed her hair back from her face with shaking hands as she straightened her posture and squared her shoulders. "She's awake."
"Ah that's great news!" Benji exclaimed, giving the thin woman's shoulder a squeeze. "Really great! I'm glad we don't have to go through losing her…Chloe means a lot to all of us. But I'm glad you don't especially. You've lost enough."
Aubrey exhaled shakily.
Benji eyed her sadly, still with his arm around her shoulders. "Jesse said when they were driving back with her, after she got hurt, that Chloe was worried about you."
Aubrey glanced at him in surprise. "Me?"
"Yep." He said with a nod. "She said she hoped she didn't die because you wouldn't handle losing her very well. She cares about you a lot."
"Too much." Aubrey finally replied before she pushed herself to her feet and quickly headed to the kitchen. Benji stared after her sadly.
xxxx
"Jeez Red, attention whore much?" Amy said with a smirk later that evening.
Chloe chuckled tiredly, still prone on the bed. Beca and Aubrey had remained close by the remainder of the day as she napped and ate as much of the broth that Donald prepared as she could. That evening the friends were gathered in her room to see for themselves that she was in fact still among the living.
"Don't worry girl, chicks dig scars." Cynthia Rose said with a suggestive waggle of her brow.
Before the redhead could reply, a voice sounded from the doorway of her room. "Hey there Chloe!"
Benji grinned widely as he stepped closer to the bed. In his hands the man was carrying a pair of wooden crutches. They appeared old and weathered but the handles and braces for under the arms were wrapped with fresh, clean material.
"We found these on a run this afternoon, can you believe it?" He continued excitedly. "They were in an old farmhouse just hanging on a wall above a fireplace. Just a random decoration. Jesse and I cleaned them up and rewrapped the padding so they're good as new. Now all you have to do is get a little stronger and you'll be back on your feet in no time!"
Chloe smiled again, somewhat sadly, as she eyed her crutches. "Thanks Benji, that was really sweet of you. I'm sure I'll be up and hobbling around on those in a few days."
Aubrey narrowed her eyes at the sad look on the redhead's face. "Ok everyone." She quickly announced. "Chloe needs to rest so…out. Ashley still needs to change the bandages one more time tonight too. Let's go."
The friends waved goodnight and filed out of the room leaving Beca and Aubrey behind. Chloe smiled and waved to her friends but as soon as they left, her gaze settled back on the crutches leaning against the chair in the corner.
"Hey." Beca said softly, following Chloe's sad gaze. "What's wrong? Those will be great until your leg heals. And it will ya know…it's gonna be ok."
Chloe forced a smile to her face and nodded. But it was clear she was still troubled.
"So you won't be able to go on runs for a while or do some of the more manual labor." Beca continued, shrugging a shoulder. "There's plenty to do around here. There's plenty you can still do to help Chloe."
The redhead's lip began to tremble and she turned her head as she attempted to hide her tears. "Life is hard enough now ya know? I just don't want to make it harder. That's all. No one should have to worry about protecting me because I'm crippled when biters finally get in here. What good am I if I can't even walk? Maybe it would have been better if-"
"No." Beca hissed. "You shut the fuck up, do you hear me?"
Chloe and Aubrey both snapped their gaze to the brunette in surprise at her outburst.
"You clearly need more pain killers." Beca continued. "You're not a burden Chloe. We all want you here, whether you can walk or not. Everyone in this camp will be more than happy to protect you if biters ever get in. You know why? Because you are little miss fucking sunshine and you've done just as much to keep this place going as anyone here. We all love you so shut the fuck up and don't you dare think about dying again. Or I will kick your ginger ass. Are we clear?"
Chloe clamped her mouth shut and nodded, her blue eyes wide at her friend's rant. Beca nodded once in return, satisfied with the redhead's response.
"Ok," Aubrey said, straightening her shoulders. "Beca, go find Ashley would you? Chloe's bandages need to be changed and then we all need to get some rest ok?"
Beca nodded again and quietly slipped out of the room.
Aubrey watched her go before shifting her gaze back to Chloe. The redhead refused to meet her eye. The taller woman simply sighed and settled back into the chair by the bed to wait for Ashley to once again return to tend to Chloe's wounded leg.
xxxx
"Easy." Aubrey said softly as she helped settle Chloe onto the extra bed in her room. The redhead still begrudgingly needed a significant amount of help after the injury to her leg and Beca had volunteered Aubrey. There was a spare bed in the blonde's room that had gone unused and it made sense for Chloe to move into Aubrey's room until she was stronger.
"This is just for a little while." Chloe said softly, still uncomfortable with the new arrangement and being dependent on others. Plus she had declared her love for Aubrey, only to be rejected. And Aubrey had made no indication that she had any further interest in living. As much as the redhead wanted to be a reason to keep the blonde going, she also didn't want to be a burden.
Aubrey quirked a brow at Chloe's statement but didn't acknowledge her comment. "Do you need anything? I can grab something from the kitchen if you're hungry or…"
"No." The redhead responded quietly. "I'm fine. You don't have to do anything, I don't want to be any trouble."
The blonde eyed Chloe warily. "Look, Chloe…you can stay here with me as long as you want…you're not any trouble to me. And I'm glad you're ok. Like Beca says…you're one of the only decent things left in this world. You give this place hope so…I may not be happy to still be stuck here myself, but I suppose I'm glad you are."
Chloe timidly lifted her gaze to meet Aubrey's. She nodded slightly with a shrug, still uncomfortable with having to depend on anyone, even if it was the oldest friend she had left.
"Besides," Aubrey continued, eyeing Chloe. "Where else would you go? With Beca and Jesse? I'm sure they would love a third wheel. You're my best friend…it's only fitting you end up here with me. So you might as well just get over whatever this is you're feeling worried about or whatever…you're stuck with me."
The blonde finally relaxed slightly at the sight of a smile pulling at Chloe's lips. "You promise?" The redhead whispered. "You promise you won't leave?"
You promise you won't leave me?
The redhead's unspoken word hung in the air. Aubrey sighed but nodded. "I promise."
Chloe did finally smile then and nodded. "I'm going to hold you to that promise Aubrey Posen."
The blonde didn't return Chloe's smile but she simply nodded again. Aubrey then realized the solitary life she had chosen for herself these last few months was over.
End Part One