Author's Note: Thank you so much to all the readers who have stuck around during my long periods of no uploading. And your reviews really encouraged me to just plow ahead in this story. There are probably plenty of errors, but please forgive me. A reader recommended that I do a Riff-Off, and so here it is!

Beca only truly smiled when she was sharing music with the world. Jesse had recognized that joy on her face at the Riff-off, as if Beca had forgotten to be surly for a few moments while surrounded by people singing and creating something amazing. Beca had seemed to have genuinely enjoyed herself, with no sarcasm or eye-rolling. She'd even flirted with him. Jesse had replayed that kiss that she'd blown to him in his head over and over. He remembered Beca's childlike enthusiasm as she'd shown him her tracks in her room, something that he was sure she kept very private.

After the recent week of Beca avoiding him, he almost yearned for the year of awkward sexual tension that had been between them, as they' been on the verge of loving each other, but too afraid to admit it. Their banter had been fun back then. He hadn't kissed Beca in what felt like months. Jesse felt as if everything was crumbling and falling apart.

He was both looking forward to, and apprehensive about, seeing Beca at this year's riff-off. He would be facing her on the opposite side of a dilapidated, empty pool, and if that didn't some up the state of their relationship, he didn't know what did.

He only hoped that he could reach her through music, just how they'd come together the first time around.

His palms were sweating as he walked to the location under the night sky, trying to smile along with the other Treblemakers… but his thoughts were only on Beca.

The Barden Bellas were already huddled on their side when they arrived, and Jesse caught Beca's eye. Her only acknowledgement of him was a small twitch of the lips, almost a wince, but she didn't seem angry. More… sheepish than anything. At least Jesse knew now that she was no longer a ticking time bomb, and that giving her space had been the right strategy.

But there was a little time bomb in her stomach, hidden underneath her layers of shirts and jackets, and they couldn't ignore the issue for much longer. She seemed to purposefully turn away from him so that his view of her stomach was obscured, but Jesse craned to catch a glimpse during Justin's dramatic speech about the rules. She wouldn't be showing yet, would she? He hadn't noticed a couple of weeks ago, but then again, what did Jesse know about the cycle of pregnancy? When his mother had been pregnant with his little sister, Jamie, Jesse had been too young to take note of what his mother had been going through.

The projected Riff-Off category wheel spun against the wall, the clicking sound drowned out by cheering, and Justin announced that the chosen category was "Songs Ruined by Glee". Beca was proud to say that she had not seen an episode of Glee, despite Jesse's insistence that it was great, and so let the younger girls have more freedom than she'd been allowed back when she'd been a freshman.

They were discussing ideas, but the Treblemakers beat them to it, Jun lunging into the center and singing in his juvenile tone, "She take my money, well I'm in need. Yeah she's a triflin' friend indeed. Oh she's a gold digger, way over town, that dig's on me."

The other Trebles caught on, Donald adding low beat-boxing, and the other boys throwing in their own exclamations in the song.

"(She gives me money)

Now I ain't sayin' she a gold digger (when I'm in need)

But she ain't messin' with no broke niggas

(She gives me money)

Now I ain't sayin' she a gold digger (when I'm in need)

But she ain't messin' with no broke niggas

Get down girl go head get down (I gotta leave)

Get down girl go head get down (I gotta leave)

Get down girl go head get down (I gotta leave)

Get down girl gone head

Cutie the bomb

Met her at a beauty salon

With a baby—"

With a glance at Beca, who gave her an encouraging nod, Demi ran forward, tucking a piece of her dark hair behind her ear while interrupting Jun,

"Baby can't you see, I'm calling

A guy like you should wear a warning…"

Demi avoided Jun's gaze as she attempted a few sassy moves, with Fat Amy backing her up. The Barden Bellas emulated the chords with their voices, allowing Demi to take the lead. Jun looked star-struck as he stood, mouth slightly open, at his proximity to the object of his affection.

"Too high can't come down

"Losing my head spinning round and round

Do you feel me now

With a taste of your—"

A High Note member, a boy with shaggy blonde hair, raised a hand and entered with his own ballad attempt,

"You're never coming around

Turn around…"

A second girl added, "Every not and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears…"

Justin looked horrified and clapped his hands. "No. Just no. Seriously guys, can you try and be sober for the riff-off just one year? And go to an English class. You can't match your with you're."

Everyone called, "You're cut-off!"

The High Notes didn't seem to upset by this, meandering off in the direction of the exit. Beca chuckled—some things never changed.

Justin re-spun and wheel. The new category was Summer Songs.

Surprisingly, the BU Harmonics (as preppy and polished as ever) jumped in first, a posh boy in a polo started with a Calvin Harris song. Beca raised an eyebrow—she was actually impressed by their perfect entrance, not a bad note in the bunch. The harmonies and timing were right on point, just like the original. Too bad they were so entitled.

"When I met you in the summer

To my heartbeat sound

We fell in love

As the leaves turned brown

And we could be together baby-"

Alex stepped forward with Megan and Marley, the former crooning a low melody, and the other two making occasional percussion sounds,

"Baby, you're the best

I got my red dress on tonight

Dancing in the dark in the pale moonlight

Done my hair up real big beauty queen style

High heels off, I'm feeling alive-"

A bleach blonde (also wearing a polo) started a rendition of a song that made Beca's ears want to bleed:

"Surf's up

In the sun, I'm waiting for the day

Having fun, in warm far away

Moonlight nights, water seems so clear

Ooh city lights while I'm still waiting here

In the sun—"

Beca's attention was caught by Jesse's strong voice cutting through, and was even more surprised when she recognized the few words that he sang:

"Sun, sun, sun, sun, sun...

Sunlight hurts my eyes!

The sunlight hurts my eyes!

Don't look to the skies!"

It was a mix that she'd showed him ages ago, a dubstep song that she'd been playing with. Apparently, he'd introduced the song to the rest of the Treblemakers, as they picked up the electronic sounds easily. It was the most interesting performance for that reason, but it also sounded empty and unorganized—there was only so much that you could do with natural voices, after all. When they repeated "eyes", Fat Amy belted,

"Eyes

Hey there summer boy

I'm a busy girl

Don't got too much time

Hurry up before I change my mind

Hey there summer—"

Beca wondered if Justin would get on their case about the awkward transition, given his apparently unforgiving mood, but he let it pass.

Though Lady Gaga wasn't exactly up her alternative alley, Beca respected her as an artist when she stripped down her sound. She'd listened to Lady Gaga back in middle school, and she did know this song.

The Treblemakers only went downhill from there. Jesse seemed tired instead of enthusiastic, almost melancholy, and the Trebles couldn't figure anything out without their leader. Jesse ended up singing "Summertime" in the style of Ella Fitzgerald, which made Beca wince sympathetically. They just weren't on their top game.

Justin's expression was that of a teacher chiding a student. "I hate to say this, but I'm pretty disappointed in you, Jesse. I thought you'd dazzle me again this year, but that was just boring. Out of respect for the rest of the group, I'm going to give you a second chance by picking a new category."

There were grumbles of dissatisfaction at this (even Beca crossed her arms in annoyance), but Justin just yelled, "My Riff-off, my rules. If you don't like them, you can get out!"

Muttering to himself, he went to the laptop projector and spun the category wheel. Beca watched it pass over the category that she was most leery of, three, four, five times… and come to land with several slow ticks.

"Songs about Love".

With just half an inch, they could have had "Songs about Sex". Sex she could do. Passion she could fake. But she was not relishing the idea of standing in front of people bearing her heart, especially with Jesse watching, when it was already so raw.

Beca didn't have to see Jesse's to know that he would be taking advantage of this opportunity to serenade her with some cheesy love song. Which made her pretty nervous, considering that she could barely look him in the eye right now. Though it was endearing, it would also force her to confront the fact that she loved Jesse more than she could stand.

Part two of the Riff-Off is in progress, but I just wanted to get a chapter out for you guys! I hope you've enjoyed it, don't be afraid of that review button!

The songs used were: Gold Digger by Kanye West, Toxic by Britney Spears, Total Eclipse of the Heart, Summer by Calvin Harris, Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey, In The Sun by Blondie, Sunlight by Modestep, Summerboy by Lady Gaga, and Summertime (Living is Easy) as sung by Ella Fitzgerald.