Whoever it was could probably bang down the door if they tried any harder. She didn't care, she still wasn't getting up; Aubrey could answer if she wasn't still emptying her guts. The banging stopped and Beca wasn't sure but she thought she heard keys in the lock, it was faint, heard only through the pounding in her own head but it was there. Before she knew it the covers were ripped off and arms were around her, pulling her up, hugging her, holding her. Not Aubrey's, not today, not any day since that first day, stronger arms. She just sat there, strong arms around her, she just sat. There were no more tears to cry, not today anyway. After what seemed like an eternity, the arms were no longer around her and the owned opened their mouth to speak.

"The funeral is tomorrow," he said softly. Beca still didn't speak.

"If it's too much for you, you don't have to come. I'm sure she'd understand," Chloe's father was together, so composed in spite of everything that had happened. Beca never returned his phone calls, he filled up her voice mail box, but she still never called him back. She couldn't bring herself to talk to him, to anyone really, other than the few words she said to Aubrey two nights ago. He must have finally gone through the things Chloe had on her at the time and taken the keys.

"I'm sorry," was all Beca could muster. They sat in silence for a while longer on the edge of the bed.

"My dad will love you," Chloe chirped. It was 3 months into their relationship and Chloe had wanted her to meet her parents. Beca had actually never met a significant other's parents before, she didn't know what to expect but she certainly didn't expect them to love her. She didn't have the kind of charm that parents love; she didn't make a good first impression. She dreaded meeting the red head's parents, thinking for sure the relationship would be over once they told Chloe what they thought of her. Chloe's dad did apparently love her though, he told her that he had never seen his daughter happier and that she must be doing something right. He liked that she was so passionate about music, and that she was so sweet and protective of Chloe. Chloe told her later that her dad had called her a keeper.

Chloe's father got up from the bed, "I'm not leaving," he started, "I'm just going to find Aubrey." Beca pointed towards the bathroom, she wasn't sure Aubrey was still in there but she could guess. It was amazing that you could still be so physically ill when you hadn't had anything to eat or drink in two days. Beca had checked on the blonde a few hours ago, but it was probably time someone did again. As much as all of this was killing Beca, she couldn't even imagine the immeasurable pain Aubrey was in, having known Chloe for over 15 years.

She could hear muffled sobs coming from living room, amazed that Aubrey could still cry, being as dehydrated as she must be. She dragged herself off the bed and out into the room where Jim and Aubrey were both sitting on the couch. Aubrey's face was buried in the older man's shoulder, his arm around her. It broke Beca's already shattered heart all over again to see them like that. She hadn't noticed before but the man had dark circles under his eyes which were deep with sadness. His usually clean shaven face was covered in hair, the hair on his head out of place. He had obviously been sleeping just as well as the two current occupants of this apartment.

He gestured for Beca to sit down next to Aubrey. The brunette took a seat on the couch. Aubrey stirred at the movement and pulled herself away from Chloe's father. She wasn't sure if it was instinct or pity but Beca put her arm around the blonde. She assumed Chloe's father wanted to address them both, so she waited.

"She didn't suffer," he started, his voice now shaky, "she was killed on impact. I didn't know if either of you knew. I don't really remember what I told who and when. The last few days have been kind of a blur." Tears were now spilling from the man's tired eyes, the hurt evident in his voice. Beca couldn't believe this man's only daughter was dead, and he was here consoling them.

"I'm sorry," she offered again, not knowing what else to say. Nothing anyone could say would make her feel any better at this point, and surely he was feeling the same.

"She loved you both so much more than anything else in this world you know. It would break her heart to see you like this." In fact it was breaking his heart to see them like this, knowing how much his daughter cared for both of them. There was a point when he wasn't sure he'd ever hear his daughter talk about anything except this Beca girl.

"Beca loves this song," Chloe was dancing in her seat. She was home for the weekend, and her father was taking her shopping. Mother's Day was coming up, and it was tradition for the two of them to go out and pick out gifts for her together. Chloe spent most of the day filling her father in about her new girlfriend. The red head was nervous at first, about telling her father that she was dating another girl but he just laughed. He said that hopefully this meant he wouldn't have to beat any sorry punk's ass for messing with his girl. By the end of the day her father knew everything about Beca, right down to her exact physical description, and her most hated overplayed pop songs.

Beca finally found that words were forming in her throat. "I really loved her too," she said, "and I can't believe I'll never get to tell her that again." Beca couldn't bring herself to say what she really meant, which was that she couldn't believe the last thing she said to the red head wasn't I love you. It was something stupid, and awful, she told her that she didn't care about her when all Chloe ever did was care. Beca's last memory of Chloe was the thing that broke her heart the most, it was drunken and hazy, and it was an image of her upset. All Beca ever wanted was to see the other woman smile, and she'd never see that bright smile again. She grasped hard to the memory of the last time she had seen it, that morning. She'd woken up and smiled at a half sleeping Beca before she left, promising to rush home so they could spend some time together before the party.

"She knew," it was Aubrey who said this. She hadn't spoken the entire time, but if there was anything Aubrey was sure of it was that Chloe knew how much Beca loved her.

"The funeral is tomorrow," her father repeated the words he had shared with Beca earlier. He had the details on a slip of paper which he handed to Aubrey.

"We'll be there," the blonde confirmed, finding her strength. She didn't ask Beca or even look at her, but she knew without words that Beca wouldn't miss her last chance to say goodbye.

"Goodbye Beca," Chloe shouted into Beca's dorm room, closing the door gently after one of their earliest dates. Beca hated that word, goodbye. It always seemed to final to her. She preferred to just say she'd see her tomorrow, because she would always see her tomorrow. No matter what she was doing, or how busy she was with classes, with rehearsals, with life, she always made time to see Chloe. She would bring her cookies, or flowers or just a cup of coffee, any excuse to visit the red head's apartment and see that smile. Goodbye was never a word that crossed Beca's lips, always see you tomorrow.

"We'll be there," Beca repeated.

Chloe's father Jim rose from his spot on the couch, motioning for Beca to follow him. Beca removed her arm from Aubrey's shoulder and threw a blanket over her form. The man stopped in the kitchen of the apartment, and simply handed Beca a box.

"I found this on the ground at the crash site,"he said, tears returning to his eyes. "It was for Valentine's Day, I think." The box contained a beautiful heart shaped necklace. Beca flipped it over and over in her hand. Her eyes were foggy, but on the third rotation she noticed that the back was engraved. I love you was all it read, but that was all it took for Beca's eyes to well up. She pulled a bracelet out the pocket of her jeans, she had grabbed it out of her drawer and shoved it in there a few days ago and hadn't thought about it since. It was the bracelet she had bought for Chloe for the occasion, also engraved, this time with Beca loves Chloe.

"Bury her with it?" she asked, almost hesitantly, not wanting to add to the man's pain any more than she already had. He just nodded before turning to leave the apartment. "Thank you," Beca whispered.

"Do you think she'll like this?" She couldn't believe she was out shopping with Aubrey but it was going to be their first Valentine's Day together and she wanted to get Chloe something special. "Its lovely, but she'll love anything from you," the blonde assured her. She looked around a little bit more before settling on the same bracelet she had asked Aubrey about minutes ago. When Beca picked it up a few hours later, the engraving complete, the clerk assured her that her special someone would love it.

Beca just started to laugh, making her way back to Aubrey in the living room who was now asleep. Laughing she thought was the most inappropriate reaction possible, but she couldn't help it. It was so painfully stupid to her that now she would be spending their first Valentine's Day together at her girlfriend's funeral. Instead of kissing her lips, and telling her how much she loved her, she'd be standing at her gave site. Was this irony, Beca didn't know, but whatever it was, it felt like a knife twisting in her heart. She always imagined her first Valentine's Day with Chloe as her girlfriend would be special; the thought that it would be the most painful day of her life never crossed her mind.

"I let her walk out the door, I threw her the god damned keys," Beca spat angrily, mostly at herself but she was loud enough that Aubrey woke up.

"and I told you not to go after her," Aubrey started, "we could do this all day Beca. She was a grown woman, she wanted to leave and she left. It was no one's fault and you can't let that eat away at you. It is horrible, and the stuff of nightmares Beca, but not your fault. The last thing Chloe would want would be for you to let yourself think that, even for another second." It was the most composed Beca had seen Aubrey in days, and her words surprised the brunette. She fully expected Aubrey of all people to feel Beca was at fault. She was right though, wasn't she always. Chloe would never blame either of them, no matter how angry she was. Any day, any time the worst came happen and that's just life, and it is horrible and the stuff of nightmares as Aubrey said, but there's nothing anyone can do to change that.

"That's awful," Beca said one night as they watched the news together. "That's life," Chloe replied. Chloe, the sunshine and rainbows Chloe that Beca knew and loved had just said this, about a news piece about people dying. She couldn't believe it, but Chloe expanded her thought seconds later. "I mean it is awful, but awful things happen all the time Beca and we can't change them, or dwell on them. You'll drive yourself crazy if you let it eat away at you." She was right Beca guessed, but it was just so strange that she felt this way.

"Do you think you can keep anything down?" Aubrey asked, after a few more minutes of silence. Beca didn't reply, but Aubrey picked up her phone anyway. If they were going to go out tomorrow they needed to get it together. Chloe's family would be in enough pain without her father having to continue to worry about the two of them. He would, Aubrey knew it, he was like Chloe, compassionate and caring. He'd come back if he thought they still weren't eating or sleeping, and the last thing he needed to worry about at this time was them. His daughter was dead, and his daughter was the best friend Aubrey had ever had. For her and her family she would make sure they pulled it together, at least long enough to get through the day. She ordered them a pizza, and sat upright on the couch.

When the delivery man arrived Aubrey grabbed the box, shoved at a twenty out the door and slammed it. She was going to try and keep it together for Beca but not for anyone else. She grabbed them water bottles out of the fridge and threw the box on the coffee table. Beca didn't move. "Eat," the blonde urged. "You're going to eat, and you're going to tell me about your favourite memory of her." She didn't know why she added that last part, but I guess she just wanted to talk about her. They had both spent the last two days in shock and silence, and Aubrey was tired of silence, and crying. I guess she wasn't used it to it, living with Chloe the apartment had never been this quiet and devoid of life.

Beca just wanted to crawl back into Chloe's bed, having had enough human interaction for one day. Her stomach was threatening to eat itself though, and as much as she wanted to be alone, it was clear that Aubrey didn't. She grabbed a slice from the box, and wet her throat with the water Aubrey had set out for her. It felt good to finally drink something; she hadn't realized until this moment exactly how much her body had been craving some liquid. Her lips were dry and cracked, and her throat was horse.

"She kissed me for the first time in my dorm room," she spoke up suddenly, after a few bites of the lukewarm pizza.

"We're supposed to be studying," Beca said in shock, pulling away from the other woman. "I was studying," the red head admitted, "I was studying you." She placed another kiss on the brunette's lips and this time Beca didn't pull away. She leaned into the kiss, deep and warm, and lavender scented, Chloe always was. "Go out on a date with me," Chloe asked, when she finally came up for air, "a real one with flowers, and a restaurant and a sweet kiss goodnight." All Beca could do was nod. She had been waiting for this moment, too scared to bring it up herself.

"I actually didn't know that," Aubrey replied, much to Beca's surprise. Aubrey and Chloe shared everything, but I guess there were some moments that Chloe preferred to keep between the two of them. "She wanted to do that for so long, she just wasn't sure you wanted her to," she revealed, "you're pretty hard to read Beca. Such high walls to break down, but if anyone could make someone open up, it was Chloe."

"Yeah well, I let her in and look where I am now," Beca ran her fingers roughly through her hair.

"Oh stop, you can't tell me you would rather trade the last 8 months just so you wouldn't be feeling like this right now," Aubrey didn't mean for it to come off as harshly as it probably had, but it was the truth. Beca wouldn't trade the last 8 months for anything in the world, even if it meant her heart was in shreds right now.

"She hated this pizza," Beca said, reaching for another slice of the now cold pie. "But she always got it because it was your favourite," Aubrey added, "I know."

"I always told her we could order from somewhere else, but she insisted."

"That was Chloe," the blonde smiled slightly, for the first time in days, "always cared more about everyone else than herself."

"Yeah," Beca nodded.

"But Aubrey wants to see the one with Josh Duhmel so we'll see that one," the red head smiled. It was Chloe's turn to pick the movie, but as always she picked something Aubrey or Beca would like to see. On this particular night Aubrey was upset because her boyfriend had stood her up, for the third time this week. He was an asshole, most of Aubrey's boyfriends were. Chloe never judged her for picking the wrong guy, but she was always there to pick up the pieces when he inevitably broke her heart.

"I think I'm going to go back to sleep now, I'll uh, shower in the morning and we can drive over together," in all the shock of the last few days Beca had actually forgotten that her car was totalled. Not that it matter, she wasn't the least bit concerned about that piece of crap. She'd never want to drive it again, even if it was fixable.

"Beca?" Aubrey whispered as the brunette rose from her spot on the couch.

"What?"

"Can I sleep in there with you tonight? Chloe always let me climb in with her when I was feeling," Aubrey stopped, she was going to say sad, but she was so much more than sad. Heart broken, devastated, anything more painful than sad.

Beca slept on Chloe's side of the bed, Aubrey climbed onto hers. They had both had enough conversation for the day, lying silently. They had been in the same space since the accident, but had done their grieving mostly alone. Aubrey in the bathroom, Beca in the same bed they were now occupying. Beca still couldn't sleep, but at least now she wasn't alone.

"You're a blanket hog Chloe, you know that." Chloe took all the blankets, every night. The red head didn't do it on purpose, but I guess she was used to sleeping alone. Beca had only just started staying the night, usually going back to her dorm room after their dates. She would adjust in time, or they would just buy more blankets, it didn't matter. Beca was just glad to be sleeping next to her, it would always be better than sleeping alone.

A/N: If you're actually reading this, I just want to thank you for following the story. I'm trying out something different this time around. Feedback is always welcome and appreciated, be it good or bad.