Beca and Chloe had left the party early but Aubrey didn't stay long after they left. She had something to do, something she didn't want the others to know about and, fortunately, everybody was quite busy chatting and dancing and having a good time so that 'Brey could slip out without having to explain. She took a cab over to campus - Amy's apartment was off-campus but not too far away - and exited it infront of Baker Hall. She whipped her phone out and looked up a text that Chloe had sent her at the beginning of the semester - Chloe was very thoughtful and made sure Aubrey had all the contact information for one Beca Mitchell because the Bellas captain wouldn't think of providing it herself. 'Just in case,' Chloe had written and this was such a case, at least that's how Aubrey saw it.

It was rather late but Aubrey had a talent to blend in if she wished and nobody stopped her on the way up to the third floor where Beca's small dwelling was located. She hesitated only briefly before knocking on the door. There were no sounds but a sliver of light that could be seen through the small gap under the door told her that somebody was inside. The door opened unexpectedly and a mousy-looking girl stood infront of Aubrey. She looked at the tall blonde for a second before her eyes squinted:

"Beca's not here," she said and wanted to close the door again but Aubrey was a quick thinker and even quicker in action. She put her foot between door and frame and said:

"I know. I wanted to talk to you. You're Jolene, right?" 'Brey was smiling easily at the other girl.

"Yeah, and you're Beca's friend, aren't you?"

"Well, let's say we know each other," Aubrey offered. Jolene opened the door wider and let 'Brey come in. She didn't know why this beautiful girl had sought her out but she was curious by nature. The girl - woman - didn't seem to like Beca much - which Jolene could understand all too well.

"Thank you," 'Brey said politely and closed the door behind her while Jolene sat down on her bed expectantly. As soon as Aubrey had closed the door, her eyes hardened, her smile vanished and when she turned to Jolene the other woman realized that she had made a mistake.

"I...," she started but 'Brey cut her off.

"I'm not a great fan of Beca Mitchell, you know. She's too artsy, too alternative and a little too wise-crack for my taste. But she's a Bella and that makes us sisters. And when someone tells lies about my sister, I take it personally," Aubrey informed Jolene. The younger woman wanted to defend herself and stood up but was again cut off by 'Brey's domineering voice. She had trained her vocal chords since she was in kindergarden and Jolene was really no match for her - not vocally, not in any other category. She certainly couldn't match Aubrey's anger as the blonde continued:

"On behalf of Beca, I'm going to tell you: back off, stop telling lies. It's not worth it, it doesn't make you any more popular and people who know Beca won't believe that stuff anyways." 'Brey took a deep breath, there was bile rising in her throat but she couldn't have that right now. Jolene took this as the moment to say:

"I wasn't telling lies," it was a weak defence and both knew better than to believe it.

"You were, but the really bad part is that your weren't only telling these lies about Beca. You also told shit about Chloe, and nobody tells lies about my best friend! Do you even know her?" Aubrey's voice had risen quite a bit and she was now very short of yelling at Jolene. The younger woman took a step back. "Chloe Beale is one of the best people you could ever meet. I bet she even treated you cordially whenever she came over, didn't she?" Aubrey seemed to expect an answer at this and Jolene nodded slowly. She had the decency to look ashamed of herself.

"That's Chloe. She likes people and she tends not to judge them. She should know better by now but she's trusting, and she's sweet. And she would never confront you about this. But I do, because you bitch hurt my best friend. And NOBODY hurts my best friend!" The silence that followed these words was deafening. Jolene didn't know what the tall blonde with the slightly manic expression would do to her now but she could quite easily imagine her pulling out an axe and chopping her into little pieces. She seemed that crazy, and that determined.

'Brey let her words sink in, she knew that she could be quite frightening when she put her mind to it, she also knew that people's fear feeded off itself more than anything she could now say, she was, after all, a psychology major. She waited for an uncomfortable minute before she said, calmer:

"Alright, what you're going to do is this: log into your account, tell everyone that you've been lying about Beca and Chloe. Then you're going to apologize, first on your stupid social network but eventually in person because what you did was really mean. And then you're going to hope that Beca will forgive you because if you think I am mad you haven't seen Beca when you hurt someone she cares about. And she cares about Chloe. They're close, you at least got that right," 'Brey acknowledged and looked expectantly at Jolene. The young woman didn't know what else the blonde wanted.

"I told you what to do, didn't I?" 'Brey snapped and Jolene took another step back.

"Now?" She asked.

"Yes, now. Did you think I was just gonna leave you to think better about this? Get on with it, I have a party to get back to," Aubrey rolled her beautiful eyes at Jolene and Beca's roommate sat down at her computer. She was already logged into her account and she started typing. 'Brey looked over her shoulder.

"Don't forget the apology, and make it sincere," she adviced.

Jolene sighed when she finally finished typing and leaned back in her chair.

"Satisfied?" She pouted.

"Are you?" 'Brey gave back. Jolene looked up at her angrily.

"Listen," Aubrey turned the chair towards her and knelt down so her eyes were on a level with the other woman's. "Doing this is not healthy. Lying about people just because you don't like them doesn't make you popular and it doesn't solve your problems. If Beca annoys you, tell her about it, scream at her, nag her. Don't go behind her back and tell lies about her. Do you know what some people do to people when they think they are different, when they are queer? People get killed for that shit, women get raped! You don't want to be responsible for something like that, surely?" Jolene hung her head and shook it. She hadn't thought about it like that. "You invaded Beca and Chloe's right of privacy. That was mean. You don't want to be a mean person, do you?" 'Brey's voice was soft now, understanding. She didn't want to humiliate the other girl, she wanted her to see she had been wrong and make sure she didn't do it again. Jolene shook her head again.

"I didn't think so," 'Brey said. "There are some really good therapeutic programs on campus, there are also groups like the Bellas, clubs you can join to find friends. I'm sure there are people out there who would like for you to be their friend. I know it's not always easy but you have to make the first step," she wasn't sure if this would help but she wanted to at least try to leave Jolene on an upbeat note. The other woman didn't acknowledge 'Brey's words and the blonde got up. She sighed but didn't say anything more as she opened the door and left.


It was after 2 a.m. when Beca stepped into the chill January night and locked the radio station. She felt good even though she was exhausted from last night's party and today's emotional roller coaster. Thoughts of Choe had indeed invaded her mind every minute since the redhead left and they were good thoughts. Beca grinned but then she heard a sound from too close for comfort and when she turned she found herself face to face with Aubrey.

"Hey," she said and Beca took a deep unnerved breath.

"You scared me," she admitted.

"What? Badass Beca is scared of something? I don't believe that," but she smiled as she said it and Beca just shook her head. "Though I do think you should consider arming yourself with some pepper spray when you're out this late," she advised.

"Don't tell me you're worried about me," Beca gave back. She was a little puzzled about Aubrey meeting her here because it obviously wasn't a coincidence.

"I'm more worried about Chloe being worried about you," Aubrey explained. "She likes you a lot." 'Brey pointed at the way that led to Baker Hall, indicating that she would walk Beca home. They set out in silence, after a while Aubrey linked their arms and Beca looked at her questioningly.

"Did you want to talk about Chloe?" she asked when 'Brey didn't offer an explanation as to why she wanted to talk to Beca.

"Beca, you're an intelligent young woman, you know what my feelings toward Chloe are - and people who hurt her," there was a threat there and it wasn't very subtle either.

"That you will torture them, kill them and make their bodies disappear? Yeah, I know," there wasn't the slightest bit of humor in Beca's words but 'Brey still gave a little laugh.

"I'm glad we understand each other," she said. "There's another thing, though." Beca waited for her fellow-Bella to continue. "I talked to your roommate tonight," 'Brey offered and Beca stopped walking, pulling the taller girl to a stop also.

"You talked to Jolene?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I figured better me than you. I saw the way you looked when you figured out it had to be her who told those lies... so..."

"What did she say? Did she do it?"

"Of course, she did, Beca. She hates your guts. I don't know what you did to that girl but you should really consider moving out."

"ME? Why doesn't she move?" Beca bellowed, she was angry at 'Brey for thinking that she was the one who did something wrong. She hadn't, she hadn't done anything.

"She's new here, Beca. She doesn't know where to go, she doesn't have any friends. You do." Aubrey was a cool, logical thinker and she was right. But Beca was relauctant to acknowledge that fact, she didn't want to be rational about this. Jolene had screwed up, she should be the one to move. Her mind berated her for being stubborn and Beca gave a huff that might have been an agreement, Aubrey wasn't sure.

"I don't have to tell you that Jolene is unhappy, right?" Beca shook her head, that much was obvious. "She's lonely. I don't expect you to be friends but do yourself and her a favor and move in with Amy... or Chloe... or some other Bella if you want." 'Brey advised.

"I will think about it," Beca consented.

"Good, and don't give the girl too hard a time. She'll apologize to you and Chloe, give her a chance to and don't be ungratious. I know you're angry because of Chloe. I have known Chlo for most of my life and believe me, I would have liked to kill her for hurting my best friend but... well, that's not really an option, so..."

"So you put the fear of God in her, instead?" Beca asked and 'Brey smiled.

"That was so poetically put, Beca," she confirmed and they both smiled.

"Thanks, Aubrey, for... well, for being Chloe's best friend. She told me about... high school. You did know her back then, didn't you?" Aubrey nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, I did. She told you about the rumors about her and some of the guys she hung out with?"

"Yeah. I can't believe someone would do that to her? I mean... she's..." Beca was lost for words for all the things Chloe Beale was.

"She didn't tell you that it was me spreading those rumors?" 'Brey's voice was but a whisper for once and Beca wasn't sure she heard her right.

"Aca-scuse me?!" It shot out of her.

"It was me," 'Brey confessed. "Well, me and some friends but I was the initiator, the queen bee." Beca stared up at Aubrey.

"Why?" was all she could think of to say.

"We had known each other since kindergarden. We were friends then but things changed once we went to high school. I wanted to be one of the popular girls, I became a cheerleader and joined a couple of 'prestigious' clubs. Chloe wasn't invited, she... was actually more of a tomboy back then. She liked to wear hoodies and chucks, and hang out with guys. They liked her, of course, because... well, Chloe was always beautiful. And since I was the vice-president of the celibacy club..."

"Wow," Beca tried to take this all in. Especially the information about Chloe being a tomboy, someone who dressed for comfort. It was hard to imagine but it was also fascinating, like everything about Chloe.

"Yeah, I know. I don't even know how I got so lucky that she forgave me. She's... a much better person than anybody I know."

"That she is. I wouldn't have forgiven you," Beca said.

"I'm not sure I have forgiven myself for it, Beca. I am not the perfect friend, I tend to underestimate Chloe, to patronize her, not listen to her. But she... finds it in her to forgive me. I think it helps that she is usually right about everything - including you," 'Brey smiled down at Beca.

"About me?"

"Yeah, she wanted you with the Bellas the moment she saw you... and you have been good for the Bellas - if you tell the others I said that I will deny it, by the way," Aubrey dead-panned and Beca nodded grinning. "But you have been good for the Bellas - they are not the group I joined, they are much better now."

"We are," Beca agreed with conviction which earned her an eyeroll from the older woman. Beca linked their arms and they continued their way to Baker Hall.

"I was thinking, maybe you should leave Jolene for tonight and come over to Amy's with me. I'm leaving tomorrow and Chloe's coming over early - we can all have breakfast together. That is if Amy is up to it after the party," 'Brey smiled. Beca thought about it, then nodded.

"Yeah, that's probably best," she agreed.

"You just can't wait to see Chloe again, right?" They laughed, it was probably the first time they did that together. It felt strange to both.

"Could be," Beca didn't give anything away, though her smile was less coy than her words.

"She's got your number, Mitchell. Make sure you treat her well," Aubrey warned.

"What, no inappropriate hint at the toner I have for your best friend?" Beca teased.

"Don't even go there!" Aubrey warned and the brunette laughed. "I don't want to hear any more about your dick!" Aubrey joined Beca in the laughter. After a couple more minutes while they just walked together, Aubrey took out her phone and called a cab. It took them to Amy's in relative silence.