Chapter 6

Their first performance at that frat party was an absolute disaster. Beca looked around, almost amused at how bad they were. She was attempting to hide behind Lily's flailing arms, trying not to be noticed, before Howie stopped them. Chloe looked back at her with a pained expression. She could see that Aubrey was getting more and more upset, angry and frustrated as she talked to Howie, they guy that hired them.

Unsurprisingly Aubrey was ticked when they walked away. They started discussing different options for alternative ways they could raise money, now that they wouldn't be paid from that performance.

"Well, a bikini car wash is definitely out of the question."

"No Aubrey I'm really good at them!"

Beca laughed at Fat Amy's antics and Aubrey's horrified expression as Fat Amy did her impression of a bikini car wash. Beca found it amusing, but she also found the mental image terrifying.

As she laughed she realized that she couldn't hear one voice from the group joining in. She looked around and her face fell. Chloe stood to the edge of the group with her head down, arms crossed, and looking like she was going to cry. Beca was immediately worried. She had never seen Chloe in a posture like that. She looked sad and closed off. Two things which were antithetical to her personality.

Before she could catch up to her at the head of the group Aubrey started to lay into her. Beca cringed as she watched.

"Chloe?! Your voice didn't sound aguilerian at all! Chloe, for serious, what is wrong with you?"

Chloe's shoulders shook and she took a deep breath as she turned. Beca saw the upset and discouraged look in Chloe's eyes when she finally turned. Putting her hands on her hips.

"I have nodes." Her voice shook.

Beca's heart broke seeing Chloe looking so upset. She didn't know what nodes were but she could tell it wasn't good.

Aubrey, along with a few others gasped. "What? Oh my god."

Aubrey took Chloe's hands trying to comfort her. Chloe turned to Aubrey and nodded "I found out this morning."

"What are nodes?"

The captains turned still holding hands. Chloe had a few tears running down her face

"Vocal Nodules! The rubbing together of the vocal cords at above average rates without proper lubrication."

Chloe locked eyes with Beca "They sit on your windpipe and they crush your dreams."

"Isn't that painful? Why would you keep performing?"

"Because I love to sing."

Beca could barely tear her eyes away from Chloe as the others unhelpfully piped up.

"Yeah! It's like when my lady doctor told me to stop having sex for 6 weeks, and I did it anyways."

"You should really listen to your doctor..."

Stacie shrugged at the Aussie, seemingly finding her suggestion completely outrageous.

Beca looked over at Chloe when Aubrey dismissed them. Aubrey was getting more and more frustrated at the girls, and not that much planning was getting done. She walked off in a huff after another failed huddle leaving Chloe's shoulders dropping a bit.

Beca hung back, disappointed that Chloe's best friend left her while she was so distraught. Before she fully realized what she was doing, she reached forward and touched her arm.

"Chloe?"

Beca waited until Chloe slowly looked up at her. Beca could see the sadness in her eyes.

"I-I'm uh, sorry... about your nodes..." gesturing to her neck. Beca was trying to be encouraging. But she was nervous, and doesn't always do a good job at speaking when she's nervous. Chloe blinked at her.

"Do you maybe... maybe want a hug?" Beca took a deep breath and awkwardly held an arm out, offering.

Chloe let a breath out and fell into Becas arms, wrapping her own arms around her and sobbed into her shoulder. Beca stood awkwardly for a bit, before she closed her arms around her and rubbed her back in what she hoped was a comforting manner. They stood like that for a while. Beca leaned down and kissed the top of Chloe's head, before blushing and panicking that she stepped out of line. Chloe held her tighter as the last of her sobs subsided.

After a few minutes she pulled her head back a little and whispered "Thank you."

Beca smiled at her. She didn't see the sadness clouding her face anymore. It was replaced with something else, something better, but that she couldn't identify. She longed to reach up and wipe away the tears from Chloe's face. Her hands twitched but she kept them at her side.

"Do you maybe want to get something to eat? I mean I don't know what the doctor said about what type of food you can have, and I mean we don't have to grab lunch together we can just sort of-"

Chloe cut off Beca's adorable rambling by rubbing her thumb on Becas wrist and said "I'd love to. I'm starving."

Beca grinned at her. "Taco Bell?"

Chloe giggled as Becas eyes lit up. "Let's go!"

They reached the restaurant and ordered their food, Beca handing the cashier the money before Chloe could protest, and shot her a friendly glare. Chloe beamed at her. She knew Beca was trying really hard to make her feel better. Beca would never act like this for someone else. So concerned and considerate about someone else and their feelings.

Beca turned to her and said conspiratorially "Don't tell anyone about the Taco Bell thing. Yeah... it's like a kind of secret, it's like a dirty thing that I love Taco Bell so much. I like drive out of my way so that I can get the one with a drive through, so that I don't have to go inside and then I'll just eat it in the parking lot in my car... I need help, Beale! This is my cry for help!"

When Beca heard Chloe giggle she was sure that it was the cutest thing she ever heard. Worth every bit of the badass cred she just lost. "But you're here with me right now!"

"Yeah well what can I say Chlo. When you're with someone else it's different. Less dirty. Besides you seem not to apply to all the other carefully placed rules in my life so why not this one?" Beca shrugged.

"You love it." Beca scowled at her. She couldn't hold it for more than a few seconds before she broke when Chloe playfully threw a fry at her. Beca picked up the fry from where it fell on her lap and bit into it, grinning.

"You suck."

"Hmmm..." Chloe said as she wiggled her eyebrows at her. Beca tried not to read into that, and instead grabbed her taco and bit into it. Chloe was way too good at this whole innuendo game.

"I wonder what other kinds of dirty secrets you have." She winked at Beca, who choked on her food.

Her and Chloe had a very nice lunch together. They laughed and talked and got to know each other. Chloe didn't press her for not wanting to talk about her family, and Beca didn't want to bring up her mixes yet. They got along so well. While they always had something to talk about, sometimes they just sat in silence too, and she didn't even feel the least bit uncomfortable. Chloe dropped her off at her dorm. Chloe got out and gave her a hug.

"Thank you for making me feel better Beca."

"Anytime. I had a blast." Beca smiled up at her. Chloe returned it and then looked towards the dorms as thought she wanted to walk her to her door. Not wanting to make things awkward, seem like they were on a date, or make Beca freak out, she turned away.

"See you later!" She yelled out as she got into the car. She waved as she pulled away. Beca sighed and watched the car until it pulled out of sight.

A/N: Anyone notice the bit of Kendrick that I put in there about the Taco Bell? I have some more ideas about even putting some sendrick into Bechloe interactions in the future, stay tuned! Also I've been including some scenes which are bonus/extended scenes on the DVD if you are able to pick those out. For example, the bikini car wash was in an old trailer but the only evidence I could find for that part was written in the actual scripts from old drafts of the movie that exist on the internet. I hope everyone is enjoying this, and PLEASE review!