A/N: xan-the-13th asked:
Now imagine the Bellas are searching for Beca in LA but they can never found her because she uses the pseudonym Reggie.
If there's one thing Chloe Beale loved, it was surprises.
The only thing she loved more than getting surprises was giving surprises. Seeing the look on someone's face when they received something unexpectedly that they wanted was the best feeling in the world.
Beca was fantastic at giving surprises, especially to Chloe. On more than one occasion the redhead had woken up to find a flash drive containing the DJ's newest mix sitting with her keys with a note telling her how some aspect of the songs had reminded Beca of Chloe. She loved those mixes, usually listening to them on repeat until she received the next one.
The DJ was not generally a fan of getting surprises though. She startled easily and wasn't really a big on sudden changes in plans. The Bellas were all made aware early in their relationship with the brunette that surprises were not welcome.
As with most Beca related things, Chloe was the one exception to the rule.
Considering their whole relationship started when she burst into the younger girls shower, Beca had pretty much known from day one to expect surprises from Chloe.
Chloe's surprises were always good surprises. She knew Beca better than, well, anybody; and so whatever she came up with was always exactly what the DJ wanted or needed (even if she wasn't willing to admit it right away). The only time that she had been afraid that her surprise would be unwelcome was when she had confessed her true feelings for the brunette. She had been terrifeid that Beca wouldn't return her feelings, or worse; she would completely ruin their friendship. Fortunately, Beca had reciprocated her feelings, and here they were, 6 months later.
This surprise though, this one Chloe was sure about. Beca had been griping about this conference for weeks; she had stated over and over that she didn't want to leave Chloe for the weekend, but that her boss had insisted that she attend a soundboard exhibition in San Diego. Chloe had volunteered to go with her, but her girlfriend had maintained that it was unnecessary because the whole thing was going to bore HER to death, so why should Chloe have to suffer too.
Chloe was not one to take no for an answer, especially when it involved being separated from her super hot girlfriend.
So she had booked the short flight to San Diego to leave right after she got through teaching class on Friday. She was going to go straight to the hotel that Beca was staying at, make up some excuse to get in her room, order up a bottle of champagne, put on her skimpiest lingerie, and wait for Beca to get back.
Beca loved sexy Chloe surprises, and she would be extra excited since she had been dreading this trip so much. Thinking about Beca excited made Chloe excited, which is why she was currently fidgeting in the back of a cab, fighting through San Diego traffic. She flipped through her phone but tucked it away after a moment, she was trying desperately to avoid texting Beca - she didn't want to arouse suspicion, she was supposed to be shopping with Stacie.
"There's a lot of traffic today, is always this busy down here?" She asked conversationally.
"Comic-con." The driver responded. "I hate the traffic, but it's good for business."
"Comic-con is this week?"
"Yeah, normally people around here don't walk down the street wearing halloween costumes." he grinned in the mirror and Chloe laughed.
"Oh good, I was beginning to think that everyone in this town was just crazy!"
"Oh, they're crazy all right, just not that crazy." He pulled the cab under the portico and gestured up at the tall building. "This is you, Marriott at the marina, hope you're reserved; cause I'm sure they're booked!"
"Definitely." Chloe nodded, passing him a few bills. "Thanks for the ride!"
"No problem, enjoy your weekend!"
She tossed her single bag over her shoulder and made her way into the hotel, slightly in awe of the building. She always loved walking into hotels the first time, especially ones as grand as this; it was like entering a whole different world.
Glancing down to make sure the girls were at attention, she made her way to the check in counter. She leaned up against it, making sure to hit just the right angle.
"Hi-" Her eyes swept down to read the name tag, "- Michael. I accidentally locked myself out of my room, and I just need an extra key."
"No problem, name on the room?"
"Beca Mitchell."
"Beca . . . . Mitchell . . . " His tongue clicked between his teeth as he scrolled down the page. "I'm not . . . not seeing a Beca Mitchell."
"Oh! Sorry, it's probably under Rebeca Mitchell."
"Hmmmm, nope; sorry. What's the room number? I can look it up that way."
Inwardly, Chloe groaned, of course this couldn't be easy.
"Okay, listen, I may have fibbed a little bit when I said I locked myself out of my room. My girlfriend is here on a business trip and I just came to surprise her, I can't ask her room number because she would totes catch on."
"Normally, I would love to help you out, but I can't do anything if I don't even have a name." He shrugged apologetically.
"But, I don't understand, this is the hotel that she said she was staying at."
"I'm sorry, there's just no Beca Mitchell registered here. I can call around to our other local branches and see if maybe she's there?"
"Could you? That would be fantastic!"
She pulled out her phone as he talked on his, deciding to double check a few things.
Chloe: Did you get checked into your hotel ok?
It took a few minutes, but the telltale dots soon appeared on her screen.
Beca: yep! :) how was class?
Chloe: nobody called me Ms. Meanie Head, so better than last week at least.
Beca: play your cards right, you might be Mrs. Meanie Head one day ;)
Chloe: that sounds like such a step up
Beca: I mean, you get me *shrug*
Chloe: def worth it then
Chloe: what hotel are you staying at again
Beca: Marriott at the Marina
Beca: it's pretty sweet, we should definitely come together some time
Chloe: totes
"Ma'am, none our sister hotels have anyone by that name either."
"Oh."
"Is there anything else I can do for you? I would offer to set you up in a room, but we're all booked."
"No, that's ok, thanks for your help."
"No problem, please, come back next time you're in town."
"Of course."
Chloe made her way back out onto the street; this was an unexpected road block to her plan. Maybe Beca had just gotten the name of the hotel wrong, that was possible; she didn't always pay the best attention to her surroundings when she was in work mode. She walked across the street to the closest hotel and repeated her spiel to the front desk there.
Nothing.
She walked down to the next hotel.
Nothing.
When she had checked five different hotels she was starting to get worried. Chewing her thumbnail, she sat on one of the sidewalk benches and pulled out her phone.
"Aubrey Posen speaking."
"Brey, you have caller ID, you knew it was me."
"Chloe, what's up? I though you were in San Diego surprising Beca?"
"I am."
"But?"
"I can't find her."
She could hear Aubrey snort.
"I know she's tiny, but how can you lose her?"
"She's not booked at the hotel that she says she's staying at."
"That's odd, are you sure she's supposed to be staying there?"
"Yes! I double checked!"
"Well what do you think is going on?"
"I don't know, I've checked like every hotel on this little strip and she isn't booked at any of them."
"Do you think she lied about where she's staying?"
"I don't think she would do something like that."
"I wouldn't either, but obviously she's not where she says she is."
Chloe sighed, glancing out to the sidewalk to see a small figure in a Spiderman costume walk past. She giggled.
"What?"
"Apparently comic-con is this weekend and some lady in a spiderman costume walked by, mask and everything."
"If they were wearing a mask, how do you know it was a girl?"
"Boobs."
"Oh."
"Wait, she's coming back this way."
"Spiderchick?"
"Yeah."
"Maybe you can ditch Beca for her, swing away on her webs."
Chloe full-on laughed at that, but stopped short when the spandex-clad figure spoke.
"Chloe?"
She would know that voice anywhere.
"Brey, I gotta go, I found Beca."
Spiderchick shifted nervously in front of her and she bit back a laugh.
"Beca? Why are you dressed like Spiderman?"
"Why are you in San Diego?" The mask stared back at her with giant black spider eyes.
"I came to surprise you, why are you dressed like Spiderman?"
"You flew all the way out here to surprise me?" The mask was unblinking.
"Becs . . ." Breath huffed out of her nose in an effort to avoid a bout of giggles.
"Comic-con?"
"There isn't a soundboard exhibition is there?"
"No?"
"And you aren't staying at the Marriott are you?"
"That part was actually true."
"The guy at the front desk said that there was no Beca Mitchell registered."
"Ohhh, yeah, well remember how I told you that my boss thinks my name is Reggie?"
"Yeah?"
"Whenever I book stuff for work I just book it under Reggie Mitchell and I guess I got in the habit."
"Oh, that makes sense."
"So, I guess you know my secret now huh?"
"What, that you're a huge nerd who loves Spiderman and lies to her girlfriend about business trips os that she can secretly attend comic-con?" she chewed her tongue, face red with effort of holding back her laughter.
"Yea, sorry about that."
"With that costume? I'm sure you'll find a way to make it up to me." She winked and stood, delivering a sharp smack to Beca's backside.
Beca may have been wearing a mask, but she could feel the smirk and eye roll that accompanied her next words.
"Come on Mary Jane, let's get you back to the hotel room before I'm forced to attend an entirely different type of exhibition."
The giggles finally tumbled out of her, and she could feel Beca's glare through the mask.
"I'm trying to be sexy here, Beale."
"Oh trust me, roleplay is sexy. Hey! We should see if the concierge can order up some silly string - you know, really make the costume authentic!"
She had expected Beca to turn for the hotel, but instead she leaned in until the fabric covering her mouth brushed Chloe's ear and sent a shiver down her spine.
"I may not be able to make real spider webs, but I can certainly tie you up."
Chloe stumbled at the words. And here she was thinking she was the one with the surprise this weekend.