That was a good unexpected reaction! Thanks a lot guys, in celebration here's chapter two not even 24h after chapter 1! lucky people!


Chapter 2: Aftermath.

"American bitch!" the yelling bounced inside Sergeant Mitchell's ears before she clenched her teeth strongly and her knees hit the ground as she hugged the wooden post she had her arms around with her wrists tied up together, and the twenty something lashing hit her back. The Sergeant grunted, not willing to give them the satisfaction of her yelling, and her eyes shut closed.

She only remembered there was an explosion. Then, the other soldiers had taken her prisoner, and beaten the crap out of her, before tying her there and now there was blood on her temple and forehead and she didn't know for how long she had been shirtless and receiving lashings there.

"Whore!" and a stronger lashing made her yell and her eyes fill with tears. Then another, another, and another…

A sharp yell reverberated in the small apartment and Chloe ran to her bedroom. The Sergeant sat up covered en sweat and yelling with tears on her cheeks.

"Sweetie, it's okay!" Chloe sat on the verge of the bed and put a hand on the back of the Sergeant's head and another in the back of her neck, bringing her close and hugging her as the brunette cried against her chest. She would've rubbed her back if it wasn't so bad "Sh… it's okay Mitch, it's just a nightmare. You're okay, I won't let a thing hurt you, you're safe here. You're safe honey."

The redhead had been working all afternoon in the living room, while the Sergeant slept peacefully on her bed, or so she thought. Now it was at night already.

"It wasn't a nightmare. It was a memory." The brunette said once she was calmed down, pulling apart from Chloe's arms. Chloe kindly cleaned her tears with her thumbs and took her hands softly.

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked, confused.

"I think I'm remembering stuff." The Sergeant explained "I remember I was at war. I remember shootings and yelling, and then there was a strong explosion, I think someone next to me put a foot on a land-mine, I don't know, but it threw me away and knocked me out. When I woke up" she explained, focused on the gentle hands that held her own "somebody had just thrown a bucket of ice cold water to my face. I sat up and I had been deprived of my weapons and stuff, and I was surrounded by Pakistani soldiers, so I prepared to fight with my bare hands. And at first it wasn't as bad, you know? But then, they started winning. I lost consciousness again and when I woke up, I was tied hugging a wooden post and I was shirtless. I remember I panicked and tried to free myself knowing what was going to happen, but soon they were lashing me. I lost count after twenty something, and by then my back was already in flesh and blood. They were insulting me for being an American soldier. When I woke up next, it was in the streets. I remember I was in an out of consciousness all the time. I threw up, I was already dressed again so I walked through the streets… begged food, water… had no idea where I was… I was feeling weaker and weaker, and dizzier and thirstier, and I was already too hungry. Nobody helped me because of my uniform, they wouldn't help the enemy. I think I spend more than a week out there without any feeding, drinking from the rain when it fell, knowing rivers and water streams would be incredibly contaminated and get me so sick I'd die shortly after. Then, I was freezing and exhausted and feeling so sick, so I tried to protect myself from the rain and hug myself. Next, I was here." The brunette explained, and Chloe listened closely, and nodded at the end.

"Alright." Chloe nodded "Well, don't worry Sergeant, you're safe here. I told you, no one is going to hurt you again."

"Thank you." The other woman squeezed her hand "You truly are an angel, Chloe. I know I should be stronger and not such a messy chicken but…"

"Hey!" Chloe frowned "Don't insult my friend, will you? She's a brave, brave soldier." The brunette had a timid smile.

"Am I your friend?" Chloe grinned.

"Of course you are. Now, sweetie, are you hungry? Thirsty maybe?" Mitchell nodded "Good! There's water, some apple juice, orange juice…"

"Water's fine." Mitchell replied and Chloe nodded and smiled.

"Okay. I can make you a sandwich, or some toasts, or pancakes… there's also some meat and potatoes… wait, I'll cook you a decent dinner, I have to eat too now that I remember." Chloe chuckled and the soldier felt her smile was just contagious.

"Can I help you with anything?" the soldier asked. Chloe pressed her lips against her forehead.

"I'd love that, but you're still feverish and have quite a cold, you've been coughing while you slept, so why don't you lie here and rest a little so you feel better sooner and can help me out?"

"Okay…" The brunette nodded "Chloe?"

"Yes honey?"

"Can I rest on your sofa? I'd like to move a bit…"

"Oh, that's perfect, yeah, that'd be good for you." Chloe helped her out and with barely a bit of wincing, Beca was lying comfortably on the sofa over a bunch of cushions and wrapped in a warm blanket. Chloe went to the kitchen and Beca looked around.

She was in a small room, square shaped. It was a beige room, with wooden floor, and the walls were free from any frames or anything. In one wall there was a balcony, that was closed in that moment, and next to it a couple armchairs at both sides of a small table. There was a bookcase on the opposite extreme of the room, filled with books and books, some very big, and some photographs in small frames. There was another bookcase that looked very alike in front of her. She was on a comfortable old sofa over a carpet, the balcony at one side and the other bookcase at the other, the corridor's other end being the same room, in front of her and to the right, by the corner, although that room had no doors. In front of the Sergeant, before the bookcase, was a small coffee table with a closed old laptop and tons of folders.

The brunette winced getting up and still wrapped in the blanket she approached the bookcase in front of her. There was a photograph of a beautiful woman, with a smile as beautiful as Chloe's, short red hair, and warm brown eyes. Between her arms there was a little toddler with her eyes almost closed from how wide her smile or laugh was, but the woman saw the toddler had the same eyes Chloe had, and short red hair, and wore overalls. At another photograph, there was what seemed Chloe in her graduation and her proud father next to her, both smiling and her father wrapping an arm around her daughter and staring at her with adoration. Another photograph displayed a young teen, also ginger with dark blue eyes, dimples, and a sweet smile, next to what the brunette supposed where Chloe's parents. If in the graduation photograph her father had white hair and white beard, and looked older, now he looked younger, and his hair was blond, his eyes the same Chloe had. The couple looked very in love behind the teen, and Chloe, just a child, stood next to what seemed like her brother, hugging his arm. The brunette smiled looking at that. Chloe really loved her family.

The Sergeant wondered if they would be in America, if they would be proud, although they sure were, who wouldn't? worried, yes. Then she wondered if she had a family. If her family seemed as nice, kind and lovely as Chloe's, if she also had an older brother, or if she was the eldest, the middle, or an only child. She wondered if there were gays in her family, if her family liked her or not, and finally, feeling a bit saturated, she lied on the sofa again.

"Dinner's ready." Chloe sang walking to the living room with two plates of meat and potato purée and peas. She picket her stuff up from the coffee table, moved it to the other table, and put the food on the coffee table.

"Yummy, smells nice!" The Sergeant smiled sitting up and licking her lips. Chloe smiled handing her the cutlery and setting two glasses of water and some bread.

They finished eating soon, and sat together on the sofa, under the blanket.

"Chloe." The soldier asked.

"Yes."

"Is that your family?" The brunette pointed to the bookcase with her head and Chloe's eyes followed hers and nodded slowly. "They look really nice. Like a perfect little family." The brunette offered with a tiny smile, seeing Chloe's eyes had watered a little "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…" Chloe had a tiny sad smile.

"No, it's okay." Chloe shook her head and smiled at the shorter girl "We were a tiny perfect family. We were the happiest."

"What happened, if I may ask?" The Sergeant asked with a concerned expression that moved Chloe.

"My brother, Michael, he was sixteen and I was nine, in 1998, my brother got in a car with some friends. He wasn't driving, but somehow when the car crashed against a building, he was the only one who died. His brain died, basically, and my father, a doctor, he knew what to do, so we let him go." She explained with glassy eyes. She chuckled sadly when the brunette rubbed her arm and squeezed her hand "That wasn't even the worst, you know? My father… as a doctor, he worked a lot. He tried to be home as much as possible for us, but he had work and now he was even using it to cope, and I was a kid, and my mother… she was dying inside. She had the warmest heart and was so sensible… like me actually. But I have more of my father's strength, fortunately. The thing is, my mother couldn't take it for long. I was fourteen years old when I walked into the bathroom and saw my mother dead in the bathtub, the water completely red."

"Oh God." Mitchell frowned and squeezed her hand "I'm really sorry Chloe." Chloe nodded and breathed deeply.

"It's better know. Then… I was a mess. It traumatized me so much I would faint with blood, and my marks dropped drastically, and I had to spend a month at home, my father couldn't even talk to me. I couldn't get into that bathroom, and I panicked seeing the bathtubs, so my father had them changed into showers. To this day, I've never had a bath or supported bathtubs. They bring bad memories that are still as real in my mind as if it happened yesterday. Fortunately, my father became my rock and pulled me out of that. I became a model student, and went to college, in Barden, Atlanta. I'm originally from Denver, Colorado." Chloe explained and the soldier chuckled.

"That's great. It's ironic, do you know Colorado in Spanish means being reddish? And you're a redhead." The girl said and Chloe laughed.

"That's awesome! I studied some Spanish, but never realized of that. Hey, you do remember some stuff!"

"I have no idea where that came from." Mitchell chuckled and shrugged "So what happened next?"

"Next…" Chloe nodded "I majored in archeology, top of my class. I wanted to travel the world. That was… five years ago. I was doing small works that involved me travelling for a couple months from now and then. My father was the proudest… then I came here. I discovered there were many interesting things here, so when I was twenty four, I moved in here. Now I'll be twenty seven in March, 9th, in case you want to write me a letter." Chloe joked and the brunette chuckled and nodded.

"What happened to your father?" the brunette asked.

"He's working in Denver." Chloe nodded "He's fine, as much as I know. I barely know from him, he writes me really often but mail takes several days, if not weeks, to arrive, phone calls are really expensive so we barely do that, and also with more than twelve hours of difference, it's practically impossible. If I'm having lunch, he's sleeping, if I'm having dinner, he's at work… we manage sometimes, but only sometimes. I don't have internet here, so we don't do video conferences. I tried, but this is the middle of nowhere basically, you know? I haven't known from my father in like three weeks."

"I'm sorry." The brunette squeezed her hand again "Why don't you fly there?"

"Work." Chloe smiled "Also, money. The ticket costs more than a thousand and a hundred dollars."

"Ouch." The brunette frowned and Chloe nodded.

"My job is a passion, it doesn't pay well. Even less here. I've been thinking about going back to Colorado… but I know I don't have a professional future there as a real archeologist, I would have to become a teacher or something. And I like travelling and being in the front lines of interesting stuff, even if I miss my father like crazy."

"That's normal." The soldier nodded "Are Jesse and Doctor Aubrey friends you made here?"

"No." Chloe smiled kindly "I met them in Barden. We studied together, and Jesse and Aubrey were dating. Aubrey and I were the captains of an a cappella group named 'The Barden Bellas'." The soldier curved her lips into a tiny smile "We loved that, but life is crazy, you know? The three of us ended up wanting to come here. They live in the city, in New Delhi. It's too expensive for me. At first we lived together, but they were moving forward, and I decided to leave. They're a couple, you know? And I wanted to bring people home without… well… it became a bit awkward, you could say. But then again I've never lived alone, so I'm usually quite lonely with my runes and ruins."

"I'm still shocked with the fact that you're one of those a cappella girls." The soldier laughed "Oh, I bet you were awesome!"

"We were! We won many prizes."

"Awesome! Sing me something."

"Alright." Chloe smiled "But let's go to bed, just in case you end up falling asleep here."

They moved to the bed and got comfortable next to each other. The soldier winced in pain from time to time, but she found a good position and refused to move. Chloe started singing.

"Yesterday's gone and tomorrow's come way too fast, you were my first love California, my last. Now I'm wide awake, thinking of you with every breath I take and I'm up before you in Pacific Standard time, trying to find the words to write a perfect rhyme. And it's such a crazy hour but I just can't get you off my mind. Just can't get you off my mind. Maybe one more dream can end, another trip down memory lane, it's too late to call. But is it too late to change my ways" then, she heard the breathing of the soldier slow down, and when she looked down, she was asleep. Chloe smiled and stroke her face as she finalized the song, and then kissed her on the forehead goodnight and went to the living room to keep working.

"Dad!" a younger self ran crying towards her father, a tall brunet man who entered the house with a suitcase, looking tired.

"What's up now, Rebeca darling?" the man asked putting an arm around her daughter.

The soldier woke up suddenly, and winced in pain, but clenched her teeth. The sun illuminated her room and she saw in Chloe's cell, that was on the bedside table, that it wasn't even seven in the morning yet, but Chloe wasn't there.

"Chloe?" she called, but received no answer. She made an effort and brought a hand to her ribs carefully as she limped towards the living room wrapped in the blanket she had gotten used to be wrapped into. She smiled seeing Chloe was asleep on the sofa, the coffee table covered in papers again, and she covered the redhead with the blanket and sat on the verge of the sofa, to then proceed softly rubbing Chloe's arms "Chloe, Chloe, wake up for a second honey. Just a moment."

"What?" Chloe opened her eyes a little, confused "Oh, hello girl, is it the morning already?"

"Yes, but not even seven yet, so you can sleep. I just wanted to tell you, I have a name!"

"What?" Chloe sat up rubbing her eyes, and yawned.

"I dreamed with it, and I feel it's a memory. I saw my father, and he called me Rebeca. I'm Sergeant Rebeca Mitchell." She smiled widely and Chloe smiled widely too, and hugged her softly trying not to hurt her.

"Oh Rebeca, that's so pretty! It fits you." Chloe said.

"Yes, but I think I don't really… like I'd prefer a nickname. Rebeca sounds long and a bit too adult or too childish." Rebeca said and Chloe laughed.

"God, you're so difficult. Then, how does Beca sound like? I can even call you Becs." Rebeca grinned and nodded.

"Yeah, that sounds awesome! Thanks Chloe, go back to sleep hon. Hey, but come to bed, you'll break your neck!" Beca took Chloe's hand and Chloe laughed standing up and helping Beca walk to the bedroom again.

"I'm hungry." Beca felt herself speak before she heard herself, and took a few seconds to understand she was the one talking, saying that pitiful whisper.

Her feet dragged her tiredly through some big city, the cold she felt was real -she was freezing- and her mouth had formed a bit of white smoke in the air. She was exhausted, her stomach was making sounds, and she felt she could let her trembling and skeletal body faint any time now.

She entered an alley filled with other people -alive and dead, as it would be discovered later- that snuggled in the corners trying to get some warmth. It was a pathetic view, but she was, unfortunately, too used to that.

"Any luck today, kiddo?" an old lady asked her as she let her ass fall against the ground. Beca shook her head and coughed.

"Apparently" she said hoarsely "sixteen year olds don't get as much pity as six year olds."

Beca's eyes popped open and she breathed deeply. Her head hurt and her ribs hurt, her back was itchy, but her wrists and ankle seemed fine. The pain of the beating was starting to be felt around her body. Beca forgot how to even think when she heard breathing next to hers, and then smiled calming down when she saw Chloe hugging her arm, asleep, with her nose nudged against the crook of Beca's neck.

"Sleepy head…" Beca sang bringing her right hand to Chloe's face, barely rubbing her cheek with her knuckles. Chloe was truly beautiful. Her eyes had bags under them, and she looked tired, but she still looked gorgeous. Her lips were just the perfect form and size, and Beca couldn't help but moving her thumb through them.

"Mm…" Chloe whispered nudging more against her neck and Beca's smile grew, placing her palm against Chloe's milky cheek and leaning to place a kiss against her forehead. Her eyes traveled around the room and Beca realized Chloe had a photograph of her whole family and herself on the bedside table. A blonde man holding a ginger baby with the biggest grin, and a redhead woman smiling at the toddler in her arms waving to the camera as he imitated her. Next to that photograph, there was another of a man in his fifties with white hair, beard and glasses, sitting on an armchair, reading.

Beca felt so much appreciation towards the redhead. Not a lot of people, and she felt like she knew that so much better than she could remember, would offer her house to a homeless person dying on the streets. Chloe had picked her up, feed her, lend Beca her own bed, slept on the sofa so she could have all of the bed for herself, lend her clothes, even brushed her hair and cleaned her up. Beca smelled herself like Chloe's skin -presumably for the soap- and felt clean and neat thanks to her. She may not remember many things, but she had this strong, powerful feeling, that she knew almost nobody would've done what Chloe had. And Beca couldn't help but felt extremely grateful, loved, appreciated… and to feel so much gratitude and appreciation for Chloe, for whom she already knew she would do anything. She owed her that.

"She tends to get pretty touchy, uh?" Aubrey suddenly appeared by the doorframe, a smirk on her face as she contemplated Chloe.

"It's okay." Beca said quickly "I guess it must be really lonely here all day. Is very far away this house from where you guys live?"

"Three quarters of hours away by driving." Aubrey replied "Fortunately Jesse and she work together most of the time, and I work a lot too. But when I can, Jesse and I come by or I join them somewhere. Chloe also comes to New Delhi whenever she can." Beca nodded slowly.

"You must be like sisters." Beca commented "Chloe told me you were together in the Barden Bellas? In college?" Aubrey smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, co-captains for the last two years even." Aubrey explained "Yes, those were great times. We also shared bedroom for those four years… It was great, actually. We became sisters and we never separated. She has come many times to where I lived in Boise, Idaho. And I've gone to Denver many times too. Our families know and adore each other."

"Then, hasn't your family tried to reach her father?" Beca asked.

"They've tried, that's what has her the most desperate, that not even them found him. They went to her house, nobody was there. They called, nobody picked up. They sent letters and emails, nothing. Roger seems to have disappeared from Earth. My parents have tried everything, but the government won't give them any more information because they aren't related." Beca nodded slowly "Chloe and Jesse investigate a lot of things locals and many other governments don't want to be investigated, so Chloe's afraid what she's been doing got her dad to be kidnapped. I've tried to convince her maybe he went on a trip and his letters never made it here."

"I'll find him." Beca stated, and Aubrey raised her eyebrows "Roger, you say? I'll go to Colorado, and I'll find him. I don't know how or when, but I'll be there as soon as I can, and I'll do anything to find him."

"Roger Beale." Aubrey informed her, and Beca nodded. Aubrey smiled "You're one of a kind, Beca." Beca chuckled.

"When did Chloe tell you my name?" Beca asked and Aubrey laughed.

"She sent us a text before falling asleep, I guess. Jesse is making lunch, so maybe we should wake her up." Beca nodded and leaned over Chloe tapping her cheek a little.

"Chlo, wake up. Come on ginger, I'm hungry." Beca smirked as Chloe opened her eyes with a frown, and then rubbed her own eyes and yawned.

"Five minutes." Chloe pleaded and Beca laughed.

"Come on, Jesse and Aubrey are here and Jesse made lunch. Let's go." Beca insisted. Chloe looked around confused and saw Aubrey sitting on the feet of the bed, smiling at her. Aubrey reached her hands towards Chloe.

"Let's go little flame." Aubrey smirked and Chloe sighed tiredly taking her hands and pulling herself up. Beca followed them limping a little, observing how caring Aubrey was putting an arm around Chloe's waist and kissing her temple. Beca soon learned Chloe when recently waked up was a lot like a toddler. She got indecisive, yawner, and slightly moody.

"Beale, you're falling asleep over the musaka I made." Jesse giggled while they ate sitting around the coffee table.

"Shut up, I'm jetlagged after our trip to Pakshtan." Chloe mumbled, and Beca laughed.

"Pakshtan uh?" Beca elbowed her playfully and Chloe chuckled looking at her.

"Oh come on, I work all the time can I be tired?" Chloe smiled shaking her head.

"Did you sleep good at least?" Aubrey asked rubbing her back and Chloe nodded.

"The good part about Beca having a fever is that I get a warm teddy bear." Chloe joked and Beca smiled.

"I'm glad I'm useful." Beca said.

"Hey Becs, I just remembered! Yesterday while you were sleeping, I was cleaning your clothes and you had stuff in your pockets. I haven't look through it, by the way." Chloe got up and opened one drawer of one of the bookcases, taking a small plastic bag and giving it to Beca "I shoved everything in, so it wouldn't get lost around the drawer."

Beca thanked her and started rummaging through her things.


Mia chapter 1 . 10h ago

Loved the first chapter! ! Update soon Thanks a lot Mia!

katie chapter 1 . 12h ago

OMG PLEASE UPDATE SOON! Thanks Katie!

Guest chapter 1 . 15h ago

This is amazing can't wait for more. You dun good Thank you!

Guest chapter 1 . 16h ago

interesting! I don't think this has been done before and it looks pretty good so far, please continue! (: I hope so, I love doing new stuff. Thank you!