Hourglass
Chapter 7
Mitchsen
Rating: T


Beca groggily woke up the next morning to the sound of an alarm clock going off, but when she reached for her phone, she realized it wasn't hers going off. Then the freshman heard a groan from beside her before feeling an arm reach across her to turn off the offending alarm. Beca blinked once, then rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, looked over to see Chloe Beale looking tiredly back at her.

"Morning Becs." Beca sat up, sheets falling off her body. She stretched before replying to the senior.

"Morning Chlo." Beca was a little startled at first to see the redheaded senior in her bed, but then she remembered their 'girl's night.' Chloe yawned before also sitting up.

"Ready for SBT today?" Beca groaned loudly. Chloe laughed a little bit. "I'll take that as a no."

"I'm just not ready to humiliate myself in front of a sorority." Chloe shrugged.

"You never know, maybe we'll do better than you think." Beca scoffed.

"I'll believe it when I see it." Chloe just rolled her eyes before ushering Beca out of the way so she could get out of the bed. She grabbed her bag from the floor.

"I'm going to shower and get ready, want to grab breakfast this morning? You don't have class right?" Beca shook her head.

"Nope." The brunette said, popping the P. Chloe grinned before beelining out of Beca's room, heading down the hall to the bathroom. Beca grabbed her toothbrush and followed the redhead, needing to get herself ready as well.


Aubrey was out for her morning jog, as normal. It helped her to run off the stress. As well as keeping her in shape, that was definitely a nice benefit. She had her dorm room all to herself the previous night. Chloe had decided to go out and do whatever the redhead did when she stayed out all night. Aubrey wasn't too worried about her friend. Chloe could handle herself.

So when she stopped off at her normal cafe to get a coffee on the way back to her dorm, she was surprised to see Beca and Chloe sitting at the counter, eating. She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the two Bellas. And again, that foreign twinge of defensiveness invaded her stomach.

This was the third or fourth time this feeling had overcome the blonde senior. And it frustrated the hell out of her. She had no reason to feel that way. Chloe was her best friend, Beca was a Bella, one that she had a strange fascination yet hatred for. At least, she thought it was a hatred. But what else could it be? She certainly didn't like Beca, at all. The tiny freshman was a pain in the ass. Though she was also a talented pain in the ass, Aubrey had to admit. However, she only got the feeling when Beca was involved, so it had to be attributed to her.

As she watched Chloe lightly push Beca, laughing. Beca's mouth dropped in shock at whatever Chloe had just said, pushing the redhead. The feeling pulled at her stomach even harder. The senior narrowed her eyes at the two before turning around and fleeing the cafe. She could get coffee later


After the two girls had gotten ready, Beca and Chloe went down to the campus cafe to grab breakfast. They had gotten their food and decided to sit at the counter to eat, their backs to the door. "So, really, are you ready for today?" Chloe asked in between bites. Beca thought for a minute.

"I think… I don't know. I have the singing part down, and I've appreciated the dancing help Chlo, really. But this choreography really isn't my thing." Beca said with a shrug. She wasn't a bad dancer, on the whole, but the Bellas choreography just wasn't her style.

"Is it because you're too busy staring at Aubrey all of practice?" Chloe teased, shouldering Beca as the brunette dropped her mouth.

"Chloe!" She said, shoving the redhead back. "No!" Beca protested. Though she had to admit to herself that she had daydreamed away during practice before. "I do not stare at her." Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Sure you don't Becs. Keep telling yourself that." A blush crept up Beca's neck.

"It's not my fault." Beca weakly protested again. Chloe smiled at her new friend.

"Of course it's not, you can't help who your soulmate is. But could you try any harder to hide your doe eyes?" Beca furrowed her brow.

"I don't make doe eyes Beale." Chloe shrugged.

"How would you know?" Beca huffed.

"I'm a badass and we don't make doe eyes." Chloe stifled a laugh, almost choking on her food.

"Maybe you're not as badass you think you are." Beca rolled her eyes.

"Eat your breakfast, Beale."


After the two ate, they parted ways until SBT later that day. Beca went back to her dorm to work on a mix until the Bellas were due to meet. Chloe also went back to her dorm room, to see Aubrey with her yoga mat out in the middle of the floor. The redhead raised an eyebrow.

"What has you so stressed out?" Aubrey looked up to see her roommate looking down at her before going back to her yoga pose.

"What are you talking about Chloe?" The redhead dropped her stuff on her bed, sitting on her mattress, cross-legged.

"You only do yoga when you're stressed out, or on the Bellas off season. And since we're obviously not in the offseason, you're stressed, what is it?" She asked again. Aubrey closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

"It's nothing." She was not about to admit she had seen Chloe and Beca earlier that morning. And had gotten defensive over it. Chloe just huffed.

"C'mon Aubrey, I know there's something bothering you, what is it?" She persisted. Again, Aubrey refused to tell her friend. It was an irrational jealousy over someone that she hated. It would go away eventually, she thought.

Trying to change the subject, Aubrey asked, "It's nothing. How was your night?" Aubrey mentally cursed herself. Of course she had to steer the conversation back to Chloe and Beca when that was the last thing she wanted to talk about. Chloe shrugged nonchalantly.

"It was nice. Movie night with Beca. Thought you could use the privacy." Chloe said to her friend, not a complete lie, but of course, not the total truth either. The senior wasn't going to betray Beca's trust and tell Aubrey about her connection to the freshman. That was up to Beca. Though, she did see Aubrey perk up slightly at the mention of Beca, which Chloe found amusing.

"Thanks, Chlo." Aubrey said. "Not that I don't love you and your company, but it was nice to just be alone." The redhead nodded in understanding. Aubrey was the type of person to like her space and her alone time. Chloe absentmindedly found herself playing with her thumb ring. As she twisted the band around her finger, she began thinking of ways to get Aubrey to give Beca a chance.

"You know, Beca really has a great ear for music. We should at least listen to what she has to say." Trying to broach the subject. Aubrey's eyes shot up to meet Chloe's.

"We follow our tradition, Chloe. You know that." Chloe deflated a little bit.

"But Aubrey, maybe she's right. There's a reason everyone loves the Trebles."

"You would really bring them into this conversation Chlo?" The redhead shrugged.

"I mean, I guess? They are our rivals after all." Aubrey sighed. Beca was really rubbing off on Chloe and Aubrey didn't know if she liked that or not.

"And our set list got us to finals last year and it can do it again. Chloe, you know how much I need to prove myself. After last year." Chloe felt guilty and a little angry at the same time. Aubrey was her best friend and she understood better than most how much the puke incident affected the blonde. But she was also angry that Aubrey was guilting her into going along with it. But Chloe, wanting to keep the peace, nodded.

"Fine." She said curtly. Aubrey was startled by Chloe's short tone but brushed it off.

"Look, I'm sorry Chlo. But…" Chloe cut her off.

"Tradition and all that, I know Aubrey. Sometimes I just wish you'd be a little more flexible. I'm going to get ready for SBT." Chloe said, grabbing some of her stuff before quickly leaving their room.

"Chlo…" Aubrey said weakly as her friend left. 'Damnit.' Aubrey swore under her breath. She hadn't meant to offend Chloe. But after seeing her and Beca that morning, then adding in Chloe trying to get them to change Bellas tradition, Aubrey hadn't been thinking. She only hoped that this didn't affect their friendship. Chloe was one the few real friends she had. She didn't want to lose that over something petty and stupid.


As Beca had predicted, SBT went badly. The girls were horribly off-key, not in sync with their dancing and one of the SBT guys had even stopped them, and kicked them out without paying. Needless to say, all the girls were not happy, and Aubrey was the most disappointed. In hindsight, she knew that booking SBT had probably been a bad idea. They had very little time to prepare and a lot of set to teach their freshmen.

"Chloe, your voice did not sound Aguilerian at all!" She scolded her friend. "Chloe, for serious, what is wrong with you?" The redhead trembled a little bit before facing the group.

"I have nodes." Chloe announced. There was some murmuring amongst the girls, as Aubrey gasped in shock, grabbing Chloe's hands.

"Oh my god." Aubrey said, looking at her friend as Chloe turned to face her.

"I found out this morning. I got a call after we had that… discussion." Aubrey felt majorly guilty then. She had basically run straight over her best friend, and now she gets some of the worst news of her life. Aubrey wished she could go back in time and take her words to her best friend back.

"What are nodes?" Beca asked. Not being much of singer, though she had a good voice, she hadn't heard of the term before. Though from the way Chloe and Aubrey were acting, she figured it was serious.

"Vocal nodules." Aubrey said as if Beca was an idiot for not knowing. Seeing Beca's confusion, Aubrey explained further.

"They sit on your windpipe and crush your dreams." Chloe said sadly.

"Isn't that painful? Why do you keep singing?" Beca asked incredulously. She couldn't understand why the redhead would keep singing if it was that painful.

"Because I love to sing." Beca, at least, could understand that. If she had broken both her arms, she'd still try to mix. Music was her life.

"Yeah, it's like when my lady doctor told me not to have sex for six weeks, but I did it anyways." Beca furrowed her brow as she looked at Stacie. Fat Amy seemed to have the same thoughts running through her head as she commented that she really ought to listen to her doctor, which Stacie just shrugged off.

"The key is an early diagnosis." Chloe started before launching into a whole speech about how she was a survivor and how she'd have to pull back. Beca couldn't help but picture this being like an alcoholic's anonymous group, sharing their struggles and successes. It was a little sappy for Beca's taste, but she still felt bad for the senior. After all, Chloe had quickly become one of her best friends.


Beca approached Chloe after everyone else had gone their separate ways. The group was going to discuss money making opportunities at the next practice. So the girls had all gone back to their dorms, or to class, or whatever else they were planning on doing.

"Are you okay Chloe?" Beca asked hesitantly. Chloe smiled sadly at the freshman.

"I'll be okay Becs. Thanks for the concern, though." Beca, in an out of character moment, hesitantly wrapped her arms around the redhead, giving the sad senior a hug. Chloe was a little shocked at the willing contact that Beca initiated, but hugged the freshman back.

"Do you… I don't know, want to get ice cream or whatever? I don't know what you're supposed to eat for nodes." Chloe laughed at Beca's awkwardness.

"Don't worry Becs. I'm sure you've got other friends or whomever to hang out with. Don't feel like you need to comfort me." Beca shrugged. In truth, she didn't have that many friends outside of the Bellas. And inside the Bellas, Chloe was the one she was closest to. She had gotten to know Fat Amy, Stacie, and Cynthia Rose a little bit, but she wasn't super close with them yet.

Outside of the Bellas, she didn't have many people. Jesse, but he was more a co-worker than a real friend. Same with Luke. There were a few people from her classes, when she went, that she was friendly with, but again, not really close friends. Maybe it was sad that Chloe was one of her only friends. But in all honesty, that was more than Beca was expecting the first place when she came to Barden.

"Maybe, but I'm still asking." Chloe felt touched that Beca cared that much. As much of a badass that she claimed to me, Beca Mitchell was really a softy underneath the hard exterior.

"I was actually planning on having dinner with Aubrey tonight. You can come if you want?" Beca immediately shook her head.

"I don't want to intrude…" She said. An excuse to be sure, the real reason being she'd rather not be in a confined space with Aubrey right now.

"I know the real reason is that you're scared shitless of Bree right now, but seriously. You're never going to get closer to her if you don't at least try." Beca sighed, cursing Chloe's logic.

"I doubt she'd want me there." Chloe waved her off.

"Pfft. If I told her you were coming and that I invited you, she might protest to my face, but she can't deny me anything." Beca laughed.

"So I see that's just an innate talent that you have Chlo." The redhead looked a little proud of herself.

"Hey, it's not my fault you guys can't resist me." Beca scoffed.

"Whatever Beale." Chloe just laughed.

"So, are you coming tonight or not?" Beca shrugged.

"If you want me there, but if Aubrey asks, I did not agree to come and you forced me to." Chloe figured that this was going to be the best she got out of Beca, so she agreed.

"See you tonight. We'll come by your dorm room!" Chloe said brightly before heading off to talk to Aubrey.


"What? No." Chloe gave her best friend a look.

"C'mon Bree. Why not?"

"I am not going to be stuck at a dinner table with Beca Mitchell." Chloe got an evil glint in her eye before giving Aubrey the puppy dog pout. Aubrey tried to shield herself, but it was too late.

"Chloe! No. Anything but that." Chloe tried to pull Aubrey's arms away from her face.

"I won't stop until you come. And if it makes you feel any better, she fought this as much as you are." Aubrey huffed.

"Then shouldn't that be a hint that you should stop trying to get us to be friends. It will never happen." Aubrey said to her redheaded friend. Chloe just shrugged.

"Never say never, Bree." She said cryptically, knowing she was going to do everything she could to give Beca a fighting chance. She just hoped that Beca would take what she was offering. After a few more minutes of back and forth, Aubrey finally relented, causing Chloe to squeal and pull Aubrey into a tight hug. "You won't regret it, Bree!" Chloe said happily.

'What have I just gotten myself into,' Aubrey thought to herself. Stuck at a dinner table with her best friend and a girl that she's supposed to hate, yet gets strange defensive over. What could possibly go wrong?


That evening, Chloe and Aubrey knocked on Beca's dorm door. Aubrey had never seen the freshman's dorm room, so when Beca opened the door, she quickly took in as much of the brunette's space as she could. Chloe had been right about one thing, Beca was obsessed with music. She saw an electronic keyboard on Beca's desk, what looked like mixing software open on her desktop monitors, along with a ton of professional cases and bags underneath the desk, which she could only assume was the mixing equipment that Chloe had mentioned.

For the first time, Aubrey got a good look at Beca, and she swallowed, hard. She didn't want to admit it, but Beca cleaned up nicely. The brunette had decided to play it a little safe, and pull back the eyeliner a little bit and swap out her ear spike for a more normal looking pair of earrings.

But of course, Beca being Beca had thrown on a tank top and flannel shirt, a staple in her wardrobe. Along with a pair of black skinny jeans and combat boots. Aubrey looked the girl up and down as Chloe greeted the freshman. "Hey, Chlo. Aubrey." Beca nodded in Aubrey's direction, who gave the girl a small, curt smile.

"You ready to go Becs?" Chloe asked and the freshman nodded. "Great, we're just going to a local pizza place. Hope that's okay?" Aubrey almost facepalmed at Chloe not having confirmed dinner plans with Beca, but thankfully, the freshman nodded.

"Sounds great Chlo." Chloe grabbed Beca by the elbow and linked their arms together. Aubrey couldn't help but feel a prickle of jealousy as Chloe wrapped her other arm around Aubrey.

"Let's go!"


A/N: Probably mean of me to leave it here, but I'm really having writer's block. I wanted to get something out, but I'll write how this goes down this weekend. Hopefully, I'll think up some genius ideas. My lack of inspiration for cute dinner date probably comes from the fact it's like 2:30 in the morning right now. xD But I can't help it. I always end up writing my chapters in the middle of the night.

Anyways, Aubrey getting a little jealous over Chloe eh? Wonder how that's going to play out ;) Could be good, could backfire in Beca's face. We'll see. I usually don't use the whole jealousy thing, but I can see how people love to write this. It certainly makes for a good plot line.

And don't get too mad at Aubrey, she's just got her head up her ass. Or maybe yes, yell at her. Maybe that'll get her to pull it out faster (That's what she said). But all joking aside, Aubrey might be the sort of bad guy right now, but it won't stay that way. I promise. It'll be cutsie Mitchsen fluff eventually.

All mistakes are… mine.. yadda yadda yadda. You know the drill. Hope this was a satisfactory chapter. Thanks!

A Charmed Vampire