A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews for the last chapter. It was crazy to see the response and I really appreciated it. I didn't mean to keep you hanging for so long, but I've been pretty sick and I also love cliffhangers. This chapter is a little shorter, but it's really just to set up chapter 10. Chapter 10 will be the last chapter of this story and there's a ton of stuff in it, so it's going to be super long and take forever to write but I've been waiting for this for a long time. Without further ado, here's chapter nine.
Chapter Nine: Forever Love
Beca awoke with a start, tearing her eyes open and looking around frantically as her breath came in quick pants. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dark room, but soon she recognized some of the furniture around her and realized that she was in Chloe's bedroom. It was just a nightmare and she was okay. She wiped her sweaty face off with the back of her hand and laid back down on the bed, calming when she felt the cool sheets on her bare body. She desperately wanted to fall back asleep and forget about what had startled her so much, but she knew that it would be impossible. She was too wound up now and would most likely lay awake all night, staring into the dark and trying to will her eyes to close.
After a few moments of silence once she got settled and under the blankets, she felt a warm arm reach out and wrap itself around her waist. She jumped a little at the feeling, but relaxed when she felt Chloe pull her body close to hers and kiss the back of her neck. She hummed contentedly and Chloe softly whispered "Hey, what's going on? You're shaking, Bec."
Beca just shook her head and said "I'm fine. I think I just had a bad dream or something. I'm okay though, you should get back to sleep."
Chloe kissed her shoulder blade and said "No way. If you were okay, then you wouldn't be shaking like a leaf and awake. Tell me what happened in your dream. Maybe if we talk about it you'll feel better."
Beca took Chloe's arm that was wrapped around her abdomen and raised her right hand to her lips, kissing it gently before placing it back down on the bed. She leaned a little closer to Chloe and said "I can't really remember what happened in my dream. It must have been bad though if it woke me up. Let's talk about this later, I just want to sleep."
Chloe nodded and said "Sure, Beca. I'm right here if you need me. Don't worry about waking me or anything. Okay?"
Beca nodded timidly and as Chloe closed her eyes and relaxed a little, Beca softly said "Could you hold me for a little while? I don't think I'm going to fall back asleep and I just…I think it would help calm me down."
Chloe smiled and nodded gently, opening her arms a little wider as Beca rolled over and laid her head on Chloe's chest. She lazily tossed an arm across Chloe's stomach and seemed to melt into her body as she felt Chloe's arms wrap around her back and pull her closer. It was warm and comfortable and the only place that felt like home. She was almost glad that the nightmare happened because she loved when Chloe held her and she felt her body stop shaking as Chloe's deep and steady breaths provided a comforting lullaby to her.
Chloe fell asleep almost immediately and Beca found herself quickly joining her girlfriend in slumber. Her eyes were getting heavier and heavier and after a few minutes she couldn't hold them open anymore, feeling them close but not fighting the sleep any longer. She could feel herself slipping away, but a noise started to invade her ears and stopped her from falling any further. It got louder and louder and as she tried to wake herself up, she recognized the blaring noise as that of a car's horn being pressed down. It was unbearably loud now and Beca fought against the sleep, struggling until she was able to pull her eyes open and found herself…
…face to face with her steering wheel. The sound was deafening and her head was pounding with the worse headache she had ever had. She could vaguely hear voices in the distance, but things were a little fuzzy and she couldn't place them. As the smell of something burning entered her nostrils and filled her lungs with smoke, she coughed and bit back a scream as she felt like her lungs were tearing apart. What the hell happened? The last thing she could remember was driving and lights and…and Chloe's eyes. How scared she looked as lights provided a backdrop and illuminated her terror in a portrait that Beca would never be able to forget. She had wrecked the caror crashed it, but either way it wasn't good and she felt like she was going to be sick.
Her ears were ringing with the sound of the horn and it dawned on her that she was causing it. Her head was resting heavily on her steering wheel and her forehead was directly on the horn. She took a few deep breaths, now adjusted to the searing pain in her ribs, and pulled her head away from the wheel, unable to stop herself from screaming out as unbearable pain ripped through her body. She could see the blood covering the steering wheel and then darkness, as her body fell back against the seat and she slipped back into unconsciousness.
Chloe stared at her from across the bed and her blue eyes look full of worry as she bit her lip and tried to read into whatever expression was currently on her face. Beca wished that she would just look away from her and give her a few moments to compose herself. When she told Chloe that they would talk about her nightmare, she didn't mean it would happen as soon as they woke up. She had plans and they revolved around morning sex and breakfast, in any order but both definitely needed to happen. Morning sex was her favorite and both were perfectly dressed for it, but her foreplay was lost on Chloe as she shrugged her off and insisted on talking. Sometimes she hated how much Chloe cared for her and now was definitely one of those moments.
Beca smiled awkwardly at her girlfriend and said "Why are you staring at me, Chloe? I told you last night that I don't remember what happened in my dream. I'm trying to remember, but I can't. I don't really remember any of my dreams and if I did, I would tell you about it. I wish I could remember it so I could at least figure out what exactly made me so scared last night."
Chloe stroked her arm gently and said "Me too. It's not that big of a deal, Beca. I just thought that maybe it came back to you when you fell back asleep, but it's probably better that it didn't. If it freaked you out that badly, then it's probably for the best that you can't remember or think about it. You'll just have to sleep over here again tonight and I'll hold you in case it happens again. I want to be there for you and maybe next time we can work out exactly what's going on in that head of yours."
The smile on Chloe's face nearly broke her heart into pieces and Beca reached out for her hands, taking them in hers and holding them tightly. She did remember bits and pieces of her dream and felt awkward talking about them, but Chloe was being so great and it wouldn't be a big deal to open up to the one person that would never judge her. She sighed deeply and looked into Chloe's eyes, mesmerized for a moment at just how blue they were. How could anyone's eyes be so perfectly blue? They were unique and stunning and probably Beca's favorite thing about Chloe. She could lay all day in front of her and just stare at her eyes, taking in her beauty and not saying a word.
Chloe felt a little awkward as Beca stared at her and softly said "Earth to Beca! What's going on? Why are you staring at me now? Do you want to hear what I was dreaming about last night?"
Beca shook her head and said "Not really. You probably dream about weird stuff like med school and Aubrey and a cappella. I was just thinking and I think I remember part of my dream. You and me were in it and something bad happened and I couldn't find you. I kept screaming for you and I could hear you crying, but I couldn't find you. You were just gone and I felt…I was alone and it scared the hell out of me. Promise me that you won't leave me. Please?"
Chloe nodded slowly as tears filled her eyes and she took Beca in her arms, wrapping her arms around her body and holding her close. She kissed the top of Beca's head and said "I'm never leaving you, Beca. I love you and I'll always be here for you. I'll always be here to hold you and make everything okay. It was just a dream, Becs. I'm here."
Beca nodded against her chest and slowly started to kiss her way up to Chloe's lips, sliding her tongue into Chloe's mouth and exploring it as she pushed Chloe's body back against the bed. Chloe groaned into her mouth as pleasure filled her body and let her hands make their way between them, stroking Beca's breasts and abs teasingly before settling against her center. Beca moaned into Chloe's mouth as pleasure started to fill her body and she could feel Chloe's fingers settling just where she needed them to be. The pleasure was building and building until it slowly morphed into a dull pain. She could feel Chloe's hands stop their ministrations and the only thing she could focus on was the building pain as she found herself alone and in complete darkness. The pain was growing and growing, causing her moans to turn into painful whimpers as she tried to force it away.
As she forced her eyes open again, she was back in the car and leaning against the seat which was a good deal more comfortable than the steering wheel. She could hear sirens in the distance and they were gradually becoming louder and louder as they approached the car. Help was on the way and soon this terrible pain that was running through her body would end and everything would be okay.
She blinked heavily as a wave of dizziness washed over her and focused her eyes on the steering wheel in front of her, groaning when she saw how much blood was on it and felt a sting of recognition come from her forehead. She could feel tears running from her eyes along with something else that was a little heavier and stickier. She figured that it was blood from her wound and desperately wanted to clasp her hands to it and provide pressure to make it stop, but had the good sense not to because she knew it would only hurt more.
The heavy smoke was still lingering in the air and she looked down at the ignition of the car, realizing that the car was still on and the engine was running without having anywhere to go, causing the car to overheat. She looked up and was able to make out a wall of some sort next to the car, so they must have been pushed into it by the other car and unable to move. She knew from her small knowledge of cars that if the car overheated enough, it could catch fire and that didn't sound good. She gathered her strength and reached out for her key, turning the car off and then dropping it to the ground with a light thump. She then looked down, trying to spot where it had went but stopping when she caught a glimpse of her left hand. It was covered in blood and she could see her fingers twitching without her control. Her eyes slowly traced up the limb and she let out a choked sob as she saw a bone sticking out of a wound in her forearm. The pain that was causing her fingers to spaz out finally made itself known to her and she groaned lightly as she passed out again.
Chloe was standing across from her in the tiny shower and trying not to laugh at the incredulous look on her face. Beca was biting her lip as she stared back at her girlfriend, trying to understand how someone as beautiful and put together as Chloe did not possess the basic tools needed to get a shower. She shook her head slowly and said "How can you not have a loofah? You have body wash and lotion, so how can you use it without a loofah? This is showering 101, Chloe, and I really don't get it. Do you think Aubrey has one? Maybe I could borrow hers."
Chloe rolled her eyes and said "That's disgusting, Beca Mitchell! I think Bree would blow a gasket if she caught you doing that and I value your safety along with your cleanliness. You can't just use someone else's loofah, especially when you don't know where it's been or how old it is."
Beca laughed and said "I wasn't serious! Besides, she doesn't have a boyfriend so I can imagine just where that thing has been."
Chloe shoved her playfully back against the wall of the shower and said "Stop! That's an image I don't want to get in my head. I can't believe you're making a big deal out of this. I have washcloths that you could use or you could let me show you how I like to wash off."
Beca raised an eyebrow and said "Well, you always smell pretty good so I guess it might work. Besides, the idea of you washing my body is kind of sexy, so feel free."
Chloe giggled and poured some body wash into her hands before she winked at Beca and said "Close your eyes. I want you to be surprised."
Beca managed a slight smile and squeezed her eyes tightly as Chloe reached out and started to rub her hands tenderly all over her body. The feeling of her lithe fingers slowly making their way across the sensitive parts of her body almost sent her over the edge and she bit back a content moan. Once she was covered in the body wash, she could feel Chloe's lips on her cheek and opened her eyes as they slowly moved to her mouth, covering her lips as she let out a low groan of pleasure.
Chloe's smile broke apart their kiss and as she moved Beca back into the water and started to rinse the soap off of her, Beca leaned her forehead against Chloe's and softly said "God, I love you. You have the best ideas."
Playful pearls of laughter escaped from Chloe's lips and as she slowly opened her eyes and looked into Beca's, everything clicked. An unbelievable warmth spread throughout her body and she just gazed into those gorgeous eyes as she felt love practically radiating off of her. There was no place she would rather be and all it took was a shower for her to realize that she wanted this for the rest of her life. This was perfection and she never wanted to let it go. Chloe was her person and if she could wake up to this every morning and feel this kind of love, she could die happily. She closed her eyes contently and when she opened them again…
…She was back in the car and the sirens were unbearably loud and so close that she knew that they would be there in a matter of moments. Each breath hurt more and more and the pain had grown exponentially too, but somehow she was able to stay conscious and she was thankful for that. The memories of that morning back in September only made her feel worse and it slowly dawned on her that she hadn't heard from Chloe. She wasn't crying or talking or screaming or doing anything to give her a sign that she was okay.
She didn't care how much it hurt to move and turned her head to the side, crying out in pain and fear when she saw Chloe slumped over on the passenger's seat. There was blood on her face and she could see some matted into her hair too. She wasn't moving or making a sound, but she could see her chest slowly rising and falling with each breath and calmed slightly, thankful that she was at least alive.
Her eyes made their way to the passenger door and she couldn't stop herself as she began to sob loudly, seeing the damage that had been done to the car. The glass was completely shattered and the door was crumpled in with blood splattered across it. It was completely beyond repair and Chloe had been leaning against that when they got hit, so she had to have been seriously injured. There was no way that the door could take that much damage without Chloe getting hurt too and that terrified Beca.
She ignored her pain and reached out across the car, slipping her right hand into one of Chloe's and holding it tightly. Chloe didn't respond as she held onto her hand, but at least she was doing something and that was enough. She held onto her hand for a few minutes until an ambulance pulled up close to the SUV and paramedics ran out, gathering equipment before heading over to her side of the car. She let go when the door was opened and she was face to face with a young paramedic who looked as scared as she felt.
Everything after that was a blur, but somehow she was taken out of the car and placed on a stretcher all while a police officer talked to her in a calm and reassuring voice, trying to calm her down. As they start to move her, Beca began to panic and looked back at the car, fighting against the restraints that had been placed over her body to keep her still. Chloe was still in the car and she couldn't leave her there. They promised never to leave each other and she had to be with her, especially now that she was hurt and alone.
She desperately pulled against the straps going across her chest and sobbed heavily as she cried out for Chloe, begging the paramedics to stop and take her back so she wouldn't have to be alone. They wouldn't listen to her though and she kept fighting until she felt a pinch in her arm followed by a sense of calm that ushered her back into the dark.
Back in the car, Chloe could hear Beca's cries and opened her eyes slowly as she tried to place where she was. The first thing that hit her was a throbbing pain in her forehead and she whimpered in pain as it nearly sent her back over the edge. She bit her lip to get through it and could feel blood rolling down her face, dripping over her cheeks and sliding into her mouth. She spit out as much as she could and gagged at the metallic taste in her mouth. She hated everything about blood and the taste and smell of it was overwhelming her. She tried to move an arm to wipe her head off, but nothing happened and she froze. She desperately tried to move her other arm and when nothing happened again, it dawned on her that something was wrong. She couldn't feel any pain either and while she hoped that her body was just in shock, she knew that it could be something worse and that scared her.
By the time the paramedics had returned and one slid into the car and knelt next to her, she was sobbing without control and panicking. The paramedic placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and said "It's okay. We're here and we're going to take you to the hospital. What's your name, sweetie?"
Chloe squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to will her tears away and with a quavering voice said "I'm Chloe. My…I think my phone is in my purse and I need you to call Aubrey. She'll take care of everything, but you have to call her. Okay?"
The paramedic slowly nodded and calmly said "Sure, we'll call her once we get you out of here. What kind of pain are you feeling, Chloe? Where does it hurt?"
Chloe whimpered and softly said "My head hurts really bad. My forehead is stinging, but the back of my head is pounding. I just want to go home. I want my mom."
Chloe had broken down into tears and the paramedic stroked her hair gently before he said "I know sweetie and we're going to get you out of here and to the hospital. What else hurts? Is it just your head?"
Chloe was now sobbing as she looked up at the paramedic with fear filled eyes and said "No, I don't think so. I can't feel my arms and my legs won't move either. I think something is wrong."
