Chapter 7 – So I am literally putting all my work off to write this weekend, it's not a good plan but strangely I'm ok with it. A little insight to Beca's past and Chloe makes her stay official

Chloe and Beca headed back after dinner and it didn't go unnoticed by Chloe that Beca seemed to be cruising at a slightly slower speed as if she was getting every minute she could in. Beca loved the sensation of Chloe wrapped around her from behind; she hadn't been closer to someone in a while not since...well for a while.

Beca was somewhat of a loner who scoffed at the idea of intimacy and love when she was younger. It wasn't all her fault she hadn't had many experiences with positive outcomes when it came to commitment. When she was younger her parents had gone through a messy divorce where she was used as bait between them, she spend the better part of her elementary years transferring back and forth between her mom and dad which meant new schools, new friends and new problems every time they decided to play catch with her.

In middle school she was the class troublemaker, doing anything she could to get attention from her parents and to get them back in the same room. Despite her efforts that usually resulted in more fighting between them and her left out completely, but a music teacher took the time and taught her to channel her issue into the music. The teacher probably thought nothing off it but it probably stopped Beca on a road to destruction.

When she hit high school her mom was able to get full custody and her father completely dropped out of her life, she had been close with her dad but when he let their relationship die so did her love for him. It was her mom and her against the world and a lot of time it really felt like the weight of said world was on them. Her mom being from humble beginnings was uneducated, inexperienced and underprivileged which therefore made their choices were limited. She worked long hours scrapping enough together to pay for the meager life she and Beca shared.

When her mom got sick she felt like someone had punched her repeatedly in the stomach daily, she was towards the end of high school and although her stellar grades and amazing potential allowed her to make any choice she wanted to she put every dream she had on hold to take care of her. 8 years later and her reality wasn't at all what she thought it would be.

Sometime during her mom's fight she and her dad and reconciled enough that they moved in together back in Barden. Her dad had owned the garage for a couple of years and gave Beca a job to kill time between taking her mom in and out of Atlanta for treatments. For a while it worked, it felt familiar to Beca and despite the constant pain her mom went through she thought that maybe their love would get them through. Just like everything though, it ended in a bitter and heartbreaking way.

Her mom went into remission for a couple years and things were looking up. Beca had enrolled in night courses when they moved back to Barden and had earned a bachelor's in music theory, she was set to take a chance outside Georgia after much protest from her mom who just wanted her to stay close. Beca couldn't bear to see her mom upset but she knew that if she didn't go now she never would. Her father called her selfish and told her if she left that it would on her conscious forever, she wondered how he had the balls to say that to her when he had done the same thing years earlier.

Beca moved to Atlanta and got an internship at an upcoming recording studio, Residual Heat. She did great work getting coffee and making burritos and finally after a year she got a chance to produce something which was well received.

It was just by chance that she caught the phone call from her dad that day. She was scheduled for a meeting about a possible promotion when her cell rang early in the morning as she slept. They hadn't even told her that her mom was sick again or that she had refused the treatments the local doctor had recommended. Beca made it back just in time to let her mom go and for her father to blame it on Beca breaking her heart.

The funeral came and went and although Beca had intentions of going back to her life, they just fell flat at her feet. She went back to the garage and started attempting to fix the relationship with her father, but it was almost too far gone. Her father had his own demons that overtook him and everything was left to her to carry on. She didn't blame her father and she certainly couldn't blame her moth so she chalked it up to what fate had in mind for her and she pushed on.

When Beca finally pulled back into the shop it was late and Chloe was visibly tired from lack of sleep the night before. Beca decided she wouldn't allow her to drive in her state and insisted she stay the night.

Yawning Chloe protested, "I'm sure I'll be fine…it's only like a 10 minute drive"

"Give it up Beale, you're staying besides as your mechanic I have the keys to your ride and I may or may not refuse to give them back as is my duty as a top shelf automotive professional."

Chloe looked at Beca who stood stoic in front of her, "Fine…automotive professional…really?"

"Hey it worked! Come on you can take my bed and I'll sleep on the couch"

"Beca you don't have to do that, I can certainly crash on your couch"

"Top shelf Chlo, top shelf!"

Chloe would have protested more if her mind was not already ready for bed. As they climbed the stairs back to the loft Chloe felt the weight of her feet had increased by a thousand percent and it didn't go unnoticed by Beca who gently pushed her from behind guiding her up the stairs safely. Chloe borrowed a pair of shorts and a tee from Beca and changed quickly. When she hit the pillow the scent of Beca encapsulated her, the mix of lavender and spice relaxed her completely and she was asleep with in minutes.

Beca smiled when she checked on Chloe after changing herself and went to the couch, despite a long day herself she couldn't help but want to mix music. Chloe had recharged her creativity in a few short days and she wanted to channel it something positive. Taking samples from PM Dawn's Patient Eyes and Echosmith's Tell Her You Love Her she spent the rest of the night with her headphones on lost in her own world. She hardly noticed the sun come up a few hours later as she was finishing the final touches on the mix.

Chloe awoke late morning wrapped in a blanket face down into Beca's pillows feeling like she had slept for days. As she flipped over and brought herself up in the bed she heard soft beats playing from the other room. She stretched her hands above her earning the satisfactory pop from her back she wanted and swung her legs over the side to stand. She changed into her clothes from the night before and exited the bedroom.

She held a hand over her mouth to stifle the laughter of the scene in front of her. Beca was dead asleep a song still playing from her headphones as she hung awkwardly over the couch arm with her mouth open a soft snore playing compliment to the soft music.

Chloe couldn't help but smile as she felt her heart jump a little because even sleeping and snoring Beca was hot. Knowing the brunette had probably been up late lost in her music based on her sleeping position Chloe scribbled a note on a lose leaf of paper and left the number to her cell at the bottom with a heart. She found her keys easily as Beca had laid them out on the table possibly predicting that Chloe would wake before her. The car was parked behind the garage and she hopped in heading back for a shower and fresh clothes.

After Chloe had the chance to shower and change, she called Aubrey to see if she would met her at her mom's office to help go over a few things. Aubrey agreed and the two spent the day catching up and rearranging the room to help Chloe prepare for the interim. She made a point to call Dr. Abernathy in Baltimore and keep her updated as to the situation, and faxed the paperwork over for at least a six month leave.

Aubrey was more than helpful in creating an announcement in the local press that Chloe would be taking over. Her work as deputy mayor was well regarded and she planned on dropping the first word in her title soon when the town's current mayor retired in two years.

"Thank you Bree, I don't know what I would do without you"

"Chloe you know that you can count on me besides this town is ripe with power and it's all mine"

"You haven't changed a bit…well except for that whole engagement thing, why didn't you tell me?"

"You're one to talk Chlo, you've been gone for years and I hardly know anything about you. Which reminds me, Jesse told me you've been hanging with Queen Alt Girl herself Beca Mitchell"

"I can see why you love Jesse, he's a gossip after your own heart" Chloe laughed. The twowomen laughed as they exited the clinic "It's nice to have a friend Aubrey you know that, besides Beca seems to be just as good as the rest of us and she makes me smile. I feel like I am gonna need that while I'm here"

Aubrey smiled but her lips pursed, "Just be careful Chloe, Beca isn't used to sticking it out with someone she's got a lot of skeletons".

Chloe pulled Aubrey into a hug, "I will Bree don't worry so much. So I will see you tomorrow for football and …"

"Please it's mimosas and brunch…Jesse and Beca go to their bat cave for that football crap" Aubrey rolled her eyes.

"Sounds great to me." Chloe bumped Aubrey's hip with her own and set off towards her car. She pulled her phone from her purse and checked her messages. Her screen showed a voicemail from her father and another two from her brothers out of state, plus 8 text messages from an unknown number.

Deciding that her brothers and the unknown number could wait, she headed over to the hospital to update her mom and catch up with Dr. Conrad if she could. She called her father back who invited her over for dinner than evening to discuss her visit which was sure to be an amazing experience. Finally after the hospital and an awkward meal with her father she reached her hotel and pulled her phone back out as she entered the main door.

"I see you left me a note with a heart, should I read into that?"

"Thanks for a great night"

"Did you make it back to your hotel?"

"Did you make my bed, it's like clean in here."

"Are you regretting giving me your number yet?"

"Aubrey just called to say I better not screw this up, did you tell her something about me?"

The last two were just funny and random emojis that make Chloe laugh out loud as she walked back into her hotel. The old couple in the elevator was a little nervous as she giggled from the back corner of the small box. Deciding to wait on her brothers she called Beca first.

"Good God woman, I thought maybe you were kidnapped or something" Beca skipped the greeting and went straight to the dramatics.

"Hello to you too"

"Yea yea, so you made it back safely?"

"Yes I did and I spent the day with Aubrey organizing my mom's office and discussing the "alt girl" who I spent the night with."

"Gotta love Aubrey"

"She seems to think you might be a bad influence on me" Chloe chuckled

"Guess we will find out" Beca replied and Chloe could practically see the smirk the brunette was no doubt wearing. "You doing ok today? How's your mom?"

Chloe fell into the arm chair in her room with a sigh, "She's good today said she had more energy and her color was better. Thank you for asking"

"My pleasure, listen I am on my way out but I will see you tomorrow right?"

"Hot date?" Chloe teased

"No that's tomorrow"

"Such a charmer"

"I try"

"Okay smooth operator I'll see you tomorrow"

"Sweet, Beca out…."

"Ummm…what?" Chloe inquired.

"Yea I don't know I panicked"

"So smooth…see you tomorrow"

"Sleep tight Red"

TB C – Date day is next! You never know I might get it out tonight – no promises for real tho.