Authors Note: This chapter is dedicated to two awesome people; the-effin-mitchell and Becks18. Wonderful reviews and comments. 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Maybe a little of the plot is mine.

TRIGGER WARNING: panic attacks, thoughts of self harm/suicide, physical abuse to a minor, alcoholism, physical abuse.


Chloe knew she had said the wrong thing, the worst thing she could have the moment those words left her lips. She hadn't really meant to but sometimes she had no filter from her brain to her mouth and then things like this happened.

God, why couldn't she have kept her mouth shut? Why couldn't she have just said "This is Beca, a friend from school?" But NO, she had to say the stupidest thing possible and probably lost all progress with the brunette currently gripping her hand like her life depended on it. Until, there hands were no longer intertwined because after a few seconds Beca's eyes had snapped to hers and she snatched her hand away from Chloe's before biting her lip anxiously.

"Do you...-" Beca broke off out of the sheer anxiety that was building in her body. She paused and took a deep breath before croaking out in a small voice. "Do you have a bathroom?"

When Chloe nodded and told her it was down the hallway and 3 doors to the right she all but sprinted inside the (for lack of a better word) mansion and quickly found the bathroom before closing the door and locking it behind her. She could feel her throat forming an invisible knot of anxiety and swallowed thickly but that didn't help. She took a deep breathe and was trying with all of her might to not hyperventilate. She grabbed the sinks edge with her hands trying to stop the persistent shaking, she was so scared and she tried to stop her fear from taking over her body. She pulled on the collar of her shirt, it was touching her throat and made her feel like she was choking even more than she was, she couldn't get a full breath of air. She clenched her teeth as she tried to think of something to calm herself with, anything, she just needed something...she gasped as the door opened to reveal Chloe with a slightly panicked expression.

"Becs..." Chloe whispered brokenly, knowing she had caused this. She didn't know why it had cause such a panic but that didn't really matter now, all that mattered was helping Beca. "Hey, no...please." She paused and remembered how Aubrey used to help her with her own panic attacks when she had first been adopted by the Posen family.

"I know you're mad...but just breath with me okay?" She looked Beca in her fear filled eyes and placed Beca's hand on her chest. "Like this. In...Out...In...Out." She smiled with tear filled eyes as after a few minutes Beca did, in fact, begin to calm down. Chloe reached beside Beca to grab some toilet paper and handed to her slowly.

Beca hadn't noticed that Chloe had been calling her name to let her know she was okay, before she could open the door Chloe had unlocked it with her fingernail. Beca grimaced as all of Chloe's words sounded muffled and very far away. She had felt Chloe grab her hand and place it on her chest but hadn't really registered what exactly Chloe was trying to accomplish.

She couldn't meet Chloe's eyes, she was afraid they would be full of so many negative emotions; anger, hate, doubt. For Christ's sake she basically just had a complete melt down in front of Chloe and her parents. Oh God...now there would be questions and she would have to tell Chloe she couldn't be friends again or what if her dad knew the Posen's? What if he found out and hurt her? Or Chloe? Or Chloe's parents hit her? What is they hit Chloe in front of her?

She glanced up with panicked eyes at Chloe's but scrunched her brow in confusion as she didn't have any anger, hate or doubt in her eyes...instead Chloe had what seemed like concern, confusion and sadness. She bit her lip and tried not to start sobbing again as she spoke. "O-Oh my God...Chlo...I-I'm so sor-...sorry." She sobbed silently. "I didn't mean...t-to."

Chloe gasped at Beca. Why on earth was Beca apologizing to her of all people? To anyone? It was her own fault after all, she had blurted something out without giving any thought to how Beca would react. "Becs, no need to feel sorry about anything." She whispered and took a deep breath, she knew Beca was...hiding something but she didn't know how deep it went or how broken she was. "I'm here. And I told them we were just friends form school." She breathed quietly.

Beca sighed and felt physically drained after her panic attack. She seemed to be having a lot more of those lately. Probably because a certain red head was unknowingly putting tiny cracks in her fortress. She had spent years building her little protective fortress, nothing could bring it crumbling down but she had a deep feeling that one day if anyone could it would be Chloe. "Promise?" She whispered. She sounded so broken that Chloe nodded immediately. "I...just uhm...have a panic disorder." She said and hoped Chloe didn't see through her lie, she already felt guilty enough for the panic attack in front of her parents and now she was lying to Chloe's face. I'm such a stupid, shitty person...so...broken. I can't be fixed. She thought to herself as she cautiously allowed Chloe to help her stand.

Chloe fought the urge to narrow her eyes suspiciously at Beca. Obviously, she had a panic disorder but she knew deep down that it went a lot farther then that. After looking at Beca and seeing how tired she looked she decided to let it drop...for now. Chloe nodded and helped her to her feet, noticing how shaky Beca was.

"You don't have to tell me anything." She said softly as she grabbed a wash cloth from under the sink and wet it with cold water. She folded it and looked at Beca again, she wanted Beca to know that she cared for her, even if it was in stupid small ways. "Can..I?" She asked hesitantly and raised the washcloth toward Beca's face. Beca gasped and flinched fiercely as she saw a hand coming toward her face, she was still shaking from her panic attack and her mind was jumbled in a complete mess. She knew her dad wasn't here, that he couldn't be the soft hands helping her up and trying to calm her down. This was way to soft and gentle for that. But she knew Chloe had still seen her flinch, and was relieved when Chloe seemed to pretend that she didn't see it. Beca swallowed thickly and nodded at Chloe's request.

Chloe noticed her flinch but pretended not to notice which Beca seemed a little greatful for. She grinned at Beca's nod. Beca didn't know but her trust meant a lot to her and she would never break that trust. After all, she knew what it was like to have trust broken. She knew it all to well...Chloe bit her lip nervously as she absent mindedly dabbed at Beca's face.

Chloe's dad had recently died. She didn't really understand why he didn't come back anymore but mamma said he went to Heaven and that that was a good missed him a lot. She had had a very good day at school and was so excited to tell her mamma how it went. She had gotten to color and read another part of her book in class. She grinned as she looked down at the drawing of her family. She even had thrown in moms new friend Larry, he hung around a lot and seemed to make mom happy, just like daddy did. Chloe had a weird feeling in her stomach when he looked at her though, he was sometimes a little snappy but Chloe figured a nice picture and hugs worked just as good on him as they did on everyone else.

Chloe ran off the bus and up the stairs to her new little apartment, momma couldn't afford the big house they used to have but it didn't really matter to Chloe. She just wanted her mom happy. But when she walked in the door she knew her mamma wasn't happy that day. She could hear the muffled yells of LArry through the different room sin the house. She bit her lip, sure he had been a little snappy before but never this angry. She threw her backpack on the floor and raced with her drawing to mamma and Larry's room.

She froze as she opened the door, and so did her mamma and Larry. His face was red in anger and her mamma looked scared. She didn't like it but figured it was a grown up thing and shrugged it off. She held up her picture at Larry. "Lookie!" She said with a grin and pointed to it. "This is us, and daddy." She said pointing to each individual figure and then finally her dad who was flying in the sky. He had wings because mamma said daddy was an angel now or something.

Larrys face contorted in rage as he was shown the picture. He snatched it out of her hands and ripped it to shreds before he promptly slapped her across the face. She noticed his breath smelt gross but was scared to say anything, she felt tears well up as the stinging on her cheek increased. Her mom jumped up and ran between them. "Please, Larry...don't hurt her." She sobbed as he had raised his hand again. "You're angry with me right?"

Chloe looked back and forth between them before Larry spat at her. "OUT, you little shit." Chloe scrambled out of the room as hot wet tears fell down her cheeks. She ran to her room and slammed the door closed and locking it. She dried her eyes and laid on the bed and put the pillow over her ears and curled into herself. She couldn't help as more tears flowed as all she heard that night was the sound of skin on skin and the loud sobs of her mother. She hoped it was a one time thing, but she was wrong...it was the first of many. It would only get worse from here.

Chloe snapped out of the flashback as she felt cool hands on her face. Her face contorted in confusion as she looked at Beca who seemed to be saying something to her. "Huh?" She asked slightly out of breath from reliving a horrible memory.

Beca frowned at the red head. She knew that look. That feeling. She had flashbacks before. But seeing the broken look on the red head made her want to pull her into a hug. "I said...that your parents are probably wondering where we went." She whispered and cupped her hands on Chloe's face. She didn't really like touching or being touched but she knew Chloe found comfort in it for some reason.

Chloe nodded and snapped out of her daze. "Uh, no. Dad got called to a meeting so no dinner." She said and looked at Beca shyly. "We can go back to school if you-."

She was cut off by Beca rapidly shaking her head. "No..." She paused and chose her words carefully. "I want to stay with you. Uhm. We can have our own dinner?" She asked.

Chloe bit her lip. "If you want to." She said in the softest voice Beca had heard her use. "We can...eat in my room?"

Beca nodded her agreement and grabbed a new washcloth and started the same procedure Chloe had. She softly dabbed at the red heads flushed face and bit her lip uncomfortably. Was she even doing this right? She didn't know how to care for someone, hell she could barely care for herself. She licked her lips and realized that the closer she and Chloe became in proximity the more relaxed she felt. She tried, unsuccessfully to keep her eyes off Chloe's lips. They were really close, so close that if she licked her lips she could almost taste them...what would they taste like? Would they taste the way Chloe smelled? Like faint strawberries? Or probably something distinctly Chloe? She noted how Chloe was looking at her lips too, as if they were on the same train of thought. But Beca pulled away and took a deep breath before averting her eyes. She really wanted to kiss Chloe to see what a soft touch felt like? Because she was sure that Chloe's lips were soft like her hands. She didn't even particularly care if her lips weren't soft, just that they were hers, Chloe's.

Chloe grinned, back to her bubbly self, as she watched the brunette seem to be internally debate something. "So, I can't really cook so how does pizza sound?" She asked softly as the brunette pulled away to create some distance between them. Beca nodded and slowly accepted Chloe's out stretched hand, she didn't need to worry as she knew deep down Chloe wouldn't let anything happen to her here. She was safe as long as she was away from her dad.

Beca followed Chloe to a flight of stairs which she was led up and into a room, that was undoubtedly Chloe's. She suppressed a smirk as she had once again became even more relaxed at the red heads presence. She could feel her usual sarcastic attitude start to come back as she was answered with a bubbly nod from the red head. "Nice room." She paused. "It's really...you." She teased at Chloe.

Chloe gasped melodramatically. "What ever do you mean Ms. Mitchell?" She asked dramatically in a fake southern belle accent. Her horrible acting caused Beca to break into a full out grin at Chloe.

"Oh, ya know. Only you would have hot pink walls." Beca retorted, she felt somewhat playful after she had witnessed that the red head had gone through in the bathroom. Chloe had something that was possibly similar to Beca's life, and she didn't turn or run away at Beca's panic attack. She had looked at Beca like she cared. And she hadn't proven Beca wrong yet so she might as well relax away form Barden and her dad. She enjoyed being around Chloe anyway and was glad they could be more than "secret friends", just as long as they were not around Barden or anyone that knew her dad.

"Hot walls to match a hot girl." Chloe teased with a wink.

"Yeah, well." Beca paused and smirked. "Who said you were hot?"

Chloe gasped and widened her eyes. "Did Beca Mitchell just tease me?!" She grinned as Beca slowly became more comfortable. They had shared...something in that bathroom but neither of them knew it yet.

Beca rolled her eyes and mumbled something Chloe couldn't make out. Chloe grinned and plopped down on her bed before patting the spot next to her. "Be my little spoon?" She asked playfully.

Beca raised both eyebrows at the red head. She bit her lip and decided seeing the absolute shock on the red head would be worth a few seconds of uncomfortableness. She shrugged and walked over to the bed and laying beside Chloe.

Chloe was absolutely shocked when Beca actually came over and laid by her, and surprised her even more when she turned to face her. Was she hallucinating? Probably. She thought. She noticed Beca pressing her lips together to hold in laughter and she narrowed her eyes. "What?"

Beca couldn't hold it in anymore and let out hysterical laughter. "Oh, man. Your face was priceless."

Chloe was about to scoff at her when she realized...this was the first time she had heard Beca sincerely laugh. It wasn't forced, or a nervous chuckle but a real laugh. It was Beca. She grinned at Beca and slowly grabbed Beca's hand as she joined Beca's laughter. "It's good to see you smile and laugh." She said with adoration at Beca. She really was adorable and would do anything to keep that smile on her face.

Beca felt her lips twitch upwards as she heard Chloe say that. She looked at Chloe's face, it was filled with something she had only read about or seen directed to other people. Never was it directed toward her. Hate, anger and disgust were things usually thrown her way. It was just Chloe looked at her like she was some amazing piece of art or something. "You make me smile." She blurted out before blushing deeply. She immediately felt uncomfortable at letting the red head know what she was feeling but when she glanced at Chloe who had a mega-watt smile on, she realized it was worth it.

Chloe beamed at Beca, she knew Beca had meant her statement. For most people that was a small gesture but for Beca it was a huge step towards trusting her. She loved that she had made Beca laugh and smile. She was so worried Beca would've been angry at how she had introduced her to her parents. But the brunette surprised her by seeming to know what had transpired in her mind in the bathroom. She had shown that she cared for Chloe simply by being there. She was about to respond to Beca and looked down at the brunette before smiling softly. She was exhausted from her panic attack.

Chloe knew she was making tiny cracks in Beca's defenses, the little singer had trusted her at lest three times today and Chloe knew it wouldn't be for nothing. She would protect Beca with everything she had in her. She didn't want to wake Beca, and since she wasn't particularly hungry she decided not to order the pizza they had planned on. She instead grabbed a blanket at their feet and covered herself and Beca. She slowly wrapped her arms around the girl so she didn't wake her and kissed her temple softly. She was so relaxed that within minutes she was also sound asleep.


SO? How was it?

Bet you weren't expecting Chloe's back story, huh? Well there is more to come.

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~A