A/N: I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters
Pain like Beca had never felt before was coming in waves, crashing through her stomach. She was doubled over, clutching the sofa.
"Mom," she said, tears pooling in her eyes. Her mom was sitting in her arm chair. She raised a bottle to her lips and took a generous gulp of the vodka inside. "Mom," Beca said again "I need to go to the hospital."
"So take the car," her mom said, her voice devoid of emotion. "Unless you want me to drive you." She swallowed more of the alcohol.
"The baby's coming, I need help."
"It's your own fault for being such a little whore," her mom said. "You got yourself into this mess."
Beca didn't reply. She went into her room, and packed as much of her clothes as she could into a bag, as well as all the supplies she had managed to get for the baby.
"Where do you think you're gonna go?" Her mom asked as she came back into the living room, halted by another wave of pain. "You're 16. You've got nowhere to go."
"I'll figure it out," Beca said, forcing herself to take deep breaths. "But I'm not coming back here. Drink yourself to death for all I care."
She slammed the front door behind her. She knew she'd never make it to the hospital, plus, she didn't have insurance. The free clinic was near by. If she could keep the pain under control, she could make it.
Beca was woken up by Sam, gently shaking her, tears pooling in his eyes. She switched the bedside light on, glancing at the clock which read 3:00am.
Bad dream buddy?
He nodded, his bottom lip quivering.
Come here. She opened her arms, squeezing him into a hug before she pulled back the sheet and patted the space beside her, letting Sam climb into the bed and cuddle into her side. She kissed the top of his head and played with his hair until he fell asleep again.
She was tired. She couldn't remember the last time she wasn't tired. But she knew there was nowhere on Earth she'd rather be.
"You're almost getting it," Chloe said during their third sign language class. "You've just got to angle your hands a bit more." She took Beca's hands and guided them. "Yeah, like that." Chloe didn't drop her hands. Instead her thumb brushed across a tattoo on her wrist. "Who's Sam?" She asked, reading the tattoo'd name.
"So, show me the next bit," Beca said, pulling her hands away, not looking at Chloe.
She wasn't sure why she was so reluctant to reveal this part of her life to Chloe. She definitely felt like Chloe was someone she could trust, but there was something holding her back. They were slowly building a tentative, cautious, friendship. She liked her. A lot. The redhead was sweet and made her laugh. She ignored the part of her brain that kept thinking about just how pretty she was. When she smiled at her, she felt her stomach do flips.
"Do you wanna go and get a drink after this?" Chloe asked Beca as the class began wrapping up. "Some of the other girls are coming."
"I can't," Beca said, checking her watch. "I've got to get home."
"Maybe next time then," Chloe said, clearly disappointed. "Here," she handed Beca a scrap of paper with her number on it. "If you want any extra classes or... Or if you want to hang out, text me."
"Thanks," Beca said, smiling. "I'll see you guys next week," she added to the rest of the girls, all of whom were staring, eyebrows raised.
"What was that?" Aubrey asked as soon as Beca had left. "'Extra classes'?"
"Yeah Red," one of the students Cynthia-Rose, said. "Are you trying to hit that?"
"No," Chloe said. "Just being friendly."
"You've never offered me extra classes," Fat Amy said, grinning.
"For serious, Chloe, what is going on? I think you're spending too much time with her in class," Aubrey said, pulling Chloe aside. "We have a whole class of people that you're just ignoring."
"Look, she's actually really good at sign language, but she's sloppy. And she can't afford the advanced class so I said I'd help her. It seems really important to her that she gets better," Chloe said, ignoring the look of fury in Aubrey's eyes.
"And has she even said why it is she wants to learn?" Aubrey asked.
"No," Chloe admitted. "But it must be something important."
"I'm sure it is," Aubrey said, rolling her eyes.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Get your head out of your ass, Chloe. It's not a hat," Aubrey said.
"Are you two coming for a drink or what?" Amy asked, sensing an argument was about to break out.
"Actually, I don't feel like it," Chloe said. "I'll see you all next week."
"Where's my little boy?" Beca said, grinning as she entered her apartment.
Stacie tapped Sam on the shoulder and gestured to Beca. He squealed excitedly and opened his arms for her to pick him up, which she did.
"You're getting too heavy for this," Beca said, even though Sam couldn't hear her. "I've missed you." She sat him on the kitchen counter as she made his sandwiches for school the next day.
"How was class?" Stacie asked. "That cute redhead still giving you extra help?"
"Yep," Beca said, grinning. "Wait, I never said she was cute, how do you know she's cute?"
"I didn't," Stacie said, smiling mischievously, "but know I know you think she's cute." Beca groaned.
Your mom has a crush, she signed to Sam who giggled.
"What did you just do?" Beca said, her eyes narrowed.
Mommy has a crush, Sam signed.
"Dude," Beca groaned again.
Mommy does not have a crush. Aunt Stacie is being silly.
Sam giggled again. Stacie held her hand out and Sam gave her a high-five.
"I don't like this conspiring thing," Beca said, grinning despite herself.
Bed time, mister. Say goodnight.
He signed goodnight to Stacie, who replied the same way.
"Okay, I gotta go," Stacie said. "I have a gentlemen friend coming over and I need to do a little maintenance."
"Dude, too much information," Beca said, shuddering as she picked up Sam. "I'll see you tomorrow night, then?"
"As always," Stacie said, smiling and blowing Sam a kiss.
"Have a good night," Beca called as she carried Sam into the bedroom.
He brushed his teeth and changed for bed and then kissed Beca on the cheek before she tucked him in.
Love you, Sammy, she signed, ruffling his hair.
Love you too.
Chloe was sitting in her room when she heard Aubrey return that night. She was still cross with the blonde, so didn't go out to see her like she usually would. She heard a light tapping on her door.
"Come in," she said.
Aubrey turned the handle and entered.
"Are you still pissed at me?" She said. The swearing caught Chloe off-guard slightly. It let Chloe know that she was slightly drunk.
"No," Chloe said, not wanting to start an argument.
"Good," Aubrey said. "For the record, I'm sorry. The girls pointed out that I might have been a bit harsh."
"And you actually listened to them?" Chloe asked. Aubrey just shrugged.
"So, are we cool?"
"Yeah, we're cool," Chloe said, smiling slightly. "Go to bed."
"Yes mother," Aubrey said, closing the door.
Chloe looked down at her phone, and felt a slight pang of disappointment that Beca hadn't text her.
