I'm back! Super busy so sorry the updates are short and few and far between.

Beca was taken in the back of squad car hours before stranding Chloe with nothing more than her phone and a shaking voice, she didn't understand why this was happening. It seemed like since she came back to Barden for every positive experience the negative ripped the rug out from beneath her over and over again.

By the time Aubrey arrived to the roadside market, Chloe was physically shaking and beside herself. Tom and Jake had claimed the two women instigated the confrontation and that Beca had attacked them. The blood on the man's face corroborated the story and despite Chloe attempts the police had evidence to charge Beca.

When Aubrey and Jesse arrived at the police stood up straighter as the domineering public official could very well follow through with the promise she made to have all their badges by morning. It wasn't until then that an actual investigation was done and looked into the truth of the entire affair.

Aubrey had called her lawyer on the way over who threatened legal action if Chloe was questioned any further. The store clerk, Benji was finally able to produce video tape that validated Chloe's side to the story and the men where merely warned that their actions could have serious consequences if done again.

"That's it?" Chloe shouted at the police officers, "These homophobic assholes attack us and they get a warning?" She was livid and it was showing, her time in the city had allowed her to grow accustomed to serious repercussions for violent hate crimes and she forgot the small town syndrome until it reared its ugly head. Jesse attempted to pull Chloe back towards of her car before things escalated any further. Aubrey had already gone ahead to the police station to bail Beca out and hopefully get any charges dropped her.

"Ma'am I suggest you calm down" a large surly police sergeant advised rolling his eyes, "We don't take too kindly to outsiders upsetting the locals especially with their ungodly beliefs"

"Ungodly?" Chloe scoffed, "Jesus Christ you backwards idiots, the real threat is standing two feet from you and you bring in the bible to cover your eyes. I am a local as is my mother and so is the woman you took to jail on account of these fucking assholes."

"Listen girlie, "he stepped quickly towards her looming over her small frame, "You say one more word and I promise you I will throw you in jail with your little girlfriend" he sneered. There was intensity in his eyes but Chloe was never one to back down from a challenge.

"Word" she practically growled her eyes never leaving his. Jesse could only bring his palm to his forehead as the sergeant grabbed her roughly shoving her arms behind her and slapping the cold metal against her wrist.

"You're under arrest for insubordination against and armed official"

"That's not even a real charge" Chloe laughed with an edge to her voice "Been watching too many cop shows this week, Sir?"

"Anything you say or do…." He continued while leading her to the back of a squad car, shoving her in with significant force before slamming the door and wiping his hands against his pants.

Jesse retreated when the sergeant looked his way shaking his head as if to convey silently there would be no more protest at this point. The officer than tipped his hat towards Tom who smirked back and nodded in return. Chloe felt sick watching their exchange, knowing in any other town these circumstances would be completely different. Tom waved as Chloe was taken away with the sirens away and laughed as he slapped his buddy on the back and headed towards his car.

Chloe felt her body surge back as the car speed off and her head slumped against the seat as her eyes closed. Things had escalated quickly and all the sudden it had caught up to her, the severity of the situation. She had been in town less than a week and she had a dying mother, a new but temporary job, revisited old demons and now been harassed and arrested.

"I'm batting 1000" she huffed quietly.

"What was that?!" he new friend the sergeant yelled back towards her.

"Nothing sir" she quickly answered, but it was something. The ride was probably only a few minutes but being cuffed and confined has a way of making it seem like an eternity. Chloe was pulled about as gracefully out of the car as she was put in and dragged through the back door to the Barden police station.

Upon entering she was relieved to see Aubrey at the desk as well as Jesse who had beat them back as well. Aubrey called out to her and assured her it wouldn't be long before she would be out of there. She just smiled and allowed the process of her arrest to proceed without much resistance. About a half hour later she was taken back to the cell after questions and fingerprints and so on.

As Chloe was lead back to the holding cell she caught her first glimpse of her brunette accomplice as they approached. Beca was lying on her back with her hands over her eyes balancing on a thin bench towards the back of the cell. As the steel door began to retract open the noise brought Beca from her solitary haze. She turned to the source of the disturbance and immediately shot up from her position.

The officer shoved Chloe into the small cell and she stumbled into the arms of Beca who held her tight. "What are you doing here? What happened?" Beca pulled back looking into her eyes as she asked Chloe these questions.

"I…I got…I got a little pissed and shot my mouth off" Chloe laughed as tears began to brim in her eyes, "It doesn't matter, are you ok? I remember Tom being an asshole but I didn't realize it would get worse with time. I'm so sorry Becs I didn't mean for you to get into trouble, I shouldn't…."

"Shhhh….don't cry" Beca pulled Chloe back in towards her, "It's ok, I shouldn't have let my temper get away from me…I just saw him grab you and I ….something snapped".

"I've never had anyone do that…" Chloe admitted

"What" Beca laughed, "A pretty girl like you has never gotten hit on by a macho prick?"

"No…" Chloe shook her head, "I've never had someone protect me…usually I am left out there on my own" the tears had escaped Chloe's eyes now and were falling down her cheeks.

Beca didn't hesitate to run her thumbs over Chloe's skin and brush them away. Beca knew she was treading into dangerous territory, if she allowed herself she would fall completely for those blue eyes and the woman they belonged to. She went to speak but instead pulled Chloe in tighter, "Oh Chlo…" she whispered, and "I know…I know"

They stood there for a moment just embracing each other as if they other would fall without supports. Finally Beca shook herself out of the haze around them, "So you shot your mouth off?" she smiled sheepishly looking at Chloe. Chloe just shrugged still choking on her tears but trying to laugh, she turned to sit on the small bench and motioned for Beca to sit next to her.

Beca did as was requested but when Chloe reached to intertwine her hands, Beca inhaled sharply as the pain ran up her arm. Looking down at the hand she attempted to grab Chloe gasped seeing the black and blue knuckles and blood drying to Beca's hand.

"Jesus Beca, is this from hitting Tom?" Chloe asked as she pulled off her t-shirt quickly leaving her only in a tank top, wrapping the fabric around Beca's hand who continued to wince at the contact.

"Yea, that idiot really has rocks in his head I guess"

Just then Aubrey appeared with Jesse attempted to keep up as a new officer lead them to the back cell. Aubrey stood stoically commanding both woman exit the cell and say nothing as they left the police building. She rambled on to the officers leading them out that a reckoning of sorts would be coming first thing in the morning when she returned to city hall. Chloe assumed their quick release was probably due to Aubrey's threats but she didn't mind that one bit.

As they exited on to the street, Jesse was the first to speak, "Hey Hillary Swank from Million Dollar Baby" she swung his arms jokingly in Beca's direction. Chloe laughed and added her two cents, "You don't have to say the specific actress". "Yea" added Beca "You can just say 'Hey Million Dollar Baby'"

Jesse stopped and stood speechless, "Damn prison changed you two"

Aubrey interrupted, "Aright that's enough, I have a hell of a week ahead of me because of you two, get in the car we're going home"

The three of them stopped and looked at Aubrey for a moment in shock, but then busted into a fit of laughter, "Ok mom" Beca replied. Jesse came up to his finance and spun her around planning a kiss on her cheek, "I have the hottest woman in the world!" Aubrey playfully slapped Jesse upside the head and laughed as they got into the car.

"Bree we need to go back to the office first" Chloe commanded climbing into the back seat, "Beca's hand needs attention and all my supplies are there"

"I'm sure its fine Chloe, " Beca protested "probably more bruising then anything"

"Push against my hand" Chloe ordered her. Beca tried but the pain was too much and she pulled back on the first attempt. "Just as I thought, step on it Bree…"

Aubrey and Jesse decided to go into town and get some pizza from the local place while Chloe tended to Beca at the doctor's office. She x-rayed the hand and much to the delight of both of them Beca's hand wasn't broken but the cuts on her knuckles would require stitches.

Chloe took her time stitching up Beca's hand, who flinched and squirmed as the red head worked.

"Stay still" Chloe commanded quietly as she looked down at her work,

"I'm trying, it hurts" Beca whined

"Maybe you'll think twice about hitting people then" Chloe chuckled.

"Not a chance…especially if you're involved."

Chloe stopped what she was doing to meet Beca's eyes, which as she expected her focused solely on her. She smiled lifting her hand and brushing the hair from her face before winking at Beca and returning her gaze to her work.

TBC