Title: Accidental Declaration
Author: slacker_d
Pairing/Characters: Aubrey/Beca, Chloe
Summary: The one time that Aubrey has to skip Bellas rehearsal is the one time that something happens.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Word Count: ~2,030
A/N: based on a prompt from Katherine Ilieva which can be found at the bottom.
Though she hates to do it, Aubrey has to skip Bellas practice. The deadline for her law school applications is looming and though the Bellas may be even more important to her than getting into law school, her father will probably disown her if she misses the deadline because she was too busy with "the singing thing". So she asks Chloe to run today's rehearsal, which she gladly agrees to do and Aubrey is left alone in the quiet apartment to work.
Her cell is set on vibrate and so she doesn't hear it as she goes into the kitchen for some water. She returns to the table just in time for it to vibrate, announcing a voicemail. Checking the caller ID tells her that it's from Chloe and so she decides to wait. She's almost done and once she's finished, she can focus solely on what she assumes is a Bella related issue.
A half hour later, all the applications are finished and she leans back in her chair with a sigh of relief. She finishes her bottle of water and checks her voice mail.
"Bree, it's Chloe." She sounds a bit out of breath. "There's been... an incident." She hears a car door slam. "Careful guys." A car starts. "Anyway, I'm taking Beca to the hospital. Methodist." Aubrey hears someone in the background, but can't distinguish any words. "The bad ass claims she's fine. But you know Beca. I think she'd appreciate it if you came. Maybe you could give her a ride back. Anyway, call me when you get this."
Aubrey can only shake her head. She skips one rehearsal and of course that's the one where Beca hurts herself. Beca swears she only pretended not to get the steps in the beginning to piss Aubrey off, but the blonde has her doubts.
Since she's finished with her applications, Aubrey figures she can meet them at the hospital. It would be a prime opportunity to mock Beca's clumsiness. She can be a supportive girlfriend and also get a little teasing in. Sounds like a nice afternoon, actually.
…
Of course Chloe's not answering her phone. Which either means she's in a part of the hospital that doesn't allow them or she left it in the car. Aubrey sighs and tries one more time. Still no answer. As she walks across the parking lot, she tries not to be annoyed that Chloe told her to call and then ignores her. She leaves a message telling Chloe that she's arrived and will be looking for them.
The emergency room seems calmer than Aubrey expected, though there is the faint smell of blood lingering in the air. She walks up to the desk and tries not to be impatient as she waits for the desk nurse to acknowledge her.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes, my girlfriend was brought in a bit ago," Aubrey says.
"Name?"
"Beca Mitchell," Aubrey replies.
The nurse types some things into the computer. "Sorry. Nothing comes up. Do you know what she came in for?"
Aubrey shakes her head. "I just know she had an accident."
"Well, depending, it might not be in the system yet," the nurse explains. "And my shift just started ten minutes ago. Let me ask."
"Thanks."
The nurse glances around and spies another one coming over with a chart. "Hey Linda. You've been here a while, right?"
The other nurse, Linda, nods. "Since eleven."
"Did a Beca Mitchell come in recently?"
"Ummm... name doesn't ring a bell," Linda answers.
"Well she's looking for her girlfriend," the desk nurse says, gesturing to Aubrey.
"What'd she look like, darling?" Linda asks.
"Brunette. Short," Aubrey offers. "Probably full of snark."
Linda is suddenly somber. "Did she come in alone?"
"I doubt it," Aubrey replies. "Probably with at least one other girl, maybe more."
Linda bites her lip and Aubrey is suddenly apprehensive, a sense of dread washing over her.
"Oh darling, I am so sorry," she says after a loaded pause.
"What?" Aubrey questions. "Was it bad? It couldn't have been that bad. Could it?"
"We, uh, well, the doctor actually... he pronounced her dead. About fifteen minutes ago," Linda says gently.
A wave of cold washes over Aubrey and she can only sputter, "Aca-cuse me?!"
Both Linda and the desk nurse stare at Aubrey for a moment before Linda nods. "There was nothing we could do."
Aubrey's going to throw up. She knows it. She spins and looks around frantically. Thankfully, the desk nurse seems to recognize this and hands her a trash can from behind the desk. Aubrey clutches it just in time to vomit. Once she's finished, there's a box of tissue on the desk and she pulls out several. She wipes her mouth and looks at the nurses, shaking her head.
"I'm so sorry, darling," Linda repeats. "The doctor did everything he could, but..."
Aubrey wants to throw up again, but she also feels faint. Before either can happen, the desk nurse is next to her and is leading her to a row of chairs against the wall.
"Just take some deep breaths, dear," she says as she takes the trash can from Aubrey and sets it nearby. "In. Out. In. Out."
Aubrey nods as she tries to breath, but it's difficult with her heart being squeezed so tightly.
"In. Out. In. Out."
Suddenly there's a bottle of water in her hand. She shakily twists the top off, not caring when it falls onto the chair next to her. She takes a tentative sip and then another. Lowering her arm, she tries breathing again. In. Out. In. Out.
"Do you want me to call someone for you dear?" the desk nurse asks, her voice a bit distant, like Aubrey has cotton in her ears.
Aubrey shakes her head. "Left a message. Should be here."
"All right," she replies. "Well, why don't you just stay there until they show up?"
Aubrey nods numbly.
"Let us know if you need anything. Okay?"
Aubrey is still nodding.
"Drink some more water," the nurse adds. "It helps."
…
Aubrey has no idea how long she sits there, numb. At one point, she finishes the water, but only realizes this when she crushes the plastic in her hand. Because if she had just checked her voicemail when she first received it, she could have been here. Not that she thinks she could have done anything. But she didn't even get the chance to say good bye. And Beca died thinking that Aubrey didn't care enough to come to the hospital. That realization actually hurts. She feels dizzy. Letting go of the now flattened plastic, she puts her forearms on her thighs and her head between her knees. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out.
She's concentrating so hard on her breathing that the familiar giggle approaching doesn't register.
"See, I told you she'd come."
"Yeah, yeah, maybe she does care a little."
"She cares more than a little and you know it. Hey Bree. You okay?"
Aubrey looks up a grinning Chloe and a sheepish Beca in front of her. She blinks.
Beca offers an awkward wave. "It's not as bad as it looks."
Aubrey then notices a line of stitches starting on the left side of Beca's forehead and disappearing into her hair line.
"Fifteen isn't that many," Beca continues.
"Uh, Aubrey? You okay?" Chloe asks.
Aubrey jumps up and hugs Beca tightly, afraid that she's just imagining things.
"It's nice to see you too," Beca gasps.
"Wow, maybe you should get injured more often," Chloe jokes.
"Hey, Bree?" Beca wheezes. "Kinda hard to breath."
"Don't care," Aubrey whispers. "I'm just so glad you're alive."
"Um, okay," Beca huffs.
"Just enjoy it," Chloe tells her. "Aubrey is a great hugger."
"Not that I don't appreciate the greeting," Beca says when Aubrey finally lets go. "Because I do. But, are you okay?"
Aubrey shakes her head, as a tear runs down her cheek.
"Want to talk about it?" Beca says, pulling Aubrey closer.
"You were dead," Aubrey whispers, wrapping her arms loosely around Beca.
"Huh?"
"You were dead," Aubrey repeats, a bit louder.
"I think we missed something," Chloe says.
"Beca?"
Still holding onto Beca, Aubrey turns, as does Chloe and Beca, to find an unfamiliar nurse offering a slip of a paper.
"Here's your prescription. You can fill it at any pharmacy."
"Thanks Jamie," Beca says accepting it and shoving it into the pocket of her jeans.
"You must be the girlfriend," he says, smiling. "I tried to keep an eye out for you, but it got a little crazy around here."
"You're Beca?" Linda the nurse questions, joining them.
"Uh, yeah."
"I didn't see you come in," Linda says.
"You were on the phone with Ray," Jamie explains. "It sounded like it was about to get crazy with that pedestrian versus SUV, so I just took her and her friend back. They filled out the paperwork while they waited. Seemed easier."
Linda turns to Aubrey. "My apologies, darling. Our EMTs brought in an another brunette probably around the same time. She had a couple hysterical friends with her. I didn't even see these two come in."
Jamie nods in agreement. "The hit and run came in just as I got these two settled."
"Could someone please tell me what happened?" Beca asks.
"I may have told your poor girlfriend here that you died," Linda explains.
Chloe gasps and hugs Aubrey from behind.
"You did what?" Beca growls as she turns in Aubrey's arms to face Linda.
"She was looking for a short brunette who had an accident," Linda replies. "Since Jamie snuck you in..."
"That's no excuse," Beca snaps. "Poor Aubrey probably freaked out—"
"Sorry about the trash can," Aubrey interjects, hoping it'll calm Beca down.
Linda waves it off. "Better that, than the floor. And considering how thi—"
"You are unb—"
"Beca," Aubrey says, tightening her hold around her and pulling her closer. "It's fine."
"It's not fine," Beca protests. "I know you. Puking was probably the mildest part of your reaction."
"All that matters," Aubrey tells her. "Is that you're alive."
"She's right, Beca," Chloe adds.
"Fine," Beca huffs. "But I am not recommending this hospital to anyone."
"Completely understandable," Linda agrees.
"Who's asking you to recommend hospitals?" Chloe ponders out loud.
"Shut up, Chloe," Beca retorts. "This is all your fault anyway."
"Whatever," Chloe says as she lets go of Aubrey. "You're the bumbling idiot that tripped over nothing."
Beca slips out of Aubrey's arms, but keeps a firm grip on her hand. "It wasn't nothing. There was some water on the floor from when Amy did that spit take."
"Jessica mopped it up," Chloe argues.
Aubrey lets herself get dragged out of the hospital as Chloe and Beca argue about whether or not Beca tripped over nothing or if there was some left over water. Usually it would be her and Beca arguing, but Chloe and Beca seem to understand that Aubrey needs a bit more time. It helps that Beca has yet to let go of Aubrey's hand.
"Do you mind if I ride back with Aubrey?" Beca asks Chloe when they reach her car.
"Course not," Chloe replies. "I assumed that anyway."
"Cool."
"Want me to drive?" Beca questions.
"I'm not letting you drive my car," Aubrey tells her.
Beca smirks.
"See you later, Bree," Chloe says as she hugs her. "Call me later."
Aubrey nods.
Beca's already in the car and she takes Aubrey's hand again.
"I'm really okay," Beca assures her. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I'd kick that nurse's ass if it would help."
Aubrey finds herself laughing with this ridiculous statement. "Unnecessary. But appreciated."
Starting the car, Aubrey realizes how exhausting the last hour has been. She's looking forward to crashing on the couch and cuddling with Beca. Maybe she can even talk her into watching a movie. Today might be one of the few days her girlfriend would give in without too much protest. It's worth a shot, Aubrey thinks as she pulls out of the parking lot, Beca's hand, still firmly wrapped in hers.
A/N: prompt: Aubrey has some work to do and asks Chloe to take the role of the captain for the day. During practice Beca injures herself and is rushed to the hospital. Chloe calls Aubrey telling her about Beca. Aubrey woried rushes to the hospital but during that thime a nurse calls to tell her that her girlfriend is dead. In the end it turns out that Beca's death was a misunderstanding.