"Hey Chloe wait up" Tom called to the woman ahead of him.
Chloe stopped walking and turned back toward the math teacher who was jogging up behind her.
"How was your day?" He asked with a smile as he hung his messenger bag over his shoulder.
"Good how was yours?" Chloe asked as they continued walking towards the staff parking lot together.
"Pretty good. Glad tomorrow's Friday." Tom said.
Chloe nodded in agreement. She was ready for the weekend.
"So do you think tomorrow after school we could get that drink? Maybe dinner?" Tom asked.
Chloe stopped in her tracks.
Beca watched as Chloe finally appeared from Hidden Hills Academy. She had gone off shift a couple hours ago and headed straight for the school to apologize to Chloe for her behavior at the hospital two days ago. She had written a couple of different text messages to the redhead but none of them felt right. She had even pulled up the contact in her phone to call and apologize over the phone but she never pressed send. She knew she needed to talk to her in person.
Beca heard the dark haired guy she had seen a couple of times call Chloe's name from behind her. She saw the art teacher stop and greet the man and then start walking with him towards the parking lot where she currently stood leaning against her jeep with her hands in her pockets. She watched them talk as they made their way closer to her and she saw Chloe suddenly stop as soon as their eyes met. Beca pushed herself off her car and toward the teachers.
"Chloe?" Tom asked after not getting an answer to his question.
"What are you doing here?" Chloe asked as soon as Beca was in earshot of her.
Tom looked up to see who she was talking to.
"I was hoping to talk to you." Beca replied.
"Chloe?" Tom asked feeling the redheads change in demeanor.
Chloe looked up to the man instantly plastering a smile on her face. "Yes Tom, sorry this is Beca Mitchell. Beca, this is Tom Evans." She said formally introducing the two. "He's the math teacher."
Beca held out her hand to meet the man. "Nice to meet you." She said as he took her hand.
"You as well." He agreed.
The three stood in awkward silence looking between each other before Tom cut in, "So about tomorrow?" He asked Chloe.
Chloe looked up at him questioningly.
"Drinks after work?" He reminded her.
"Oh um" Chloe said quickly. "Can I get back to you?" She didn't want to turn him down in front of Beca just in case it would embarrass him. She could do that tomorrow at school.
"Yeah, sure." He said quickly. "I'll see you tomorrow then?" He asked.
"See you tomorrow" Chloe repeated.
He began to back away as Chloe answered. "Okay. Have a good night" he directed towards both of them before turning and heading in the direction of his car.
Beca cleared her throat and Chloe turned back towards her. "I feel like I'm ambushing you."
"That's because you are" Chloe agreed.
"I'm sorry, I just, I wanted to apologize for what I said to you the other day. At the hospital." Beca forced out quickly. Apologies never came easy to her.
"Why?" Chloe challenged. She could see the vulnerability in Beca's eyes but she wasn't going to let the woman off easy. "Everything you said was true." Chloe said quickly as she brushed past Beca much like the brunette did at the hospital and continued for her car.
Beca turned on her heels and followed the redhead who walked quickly away from her.
Chloe could feel Beca behind her. "I don't know what you need. I'm not your girlfriend." Chloe regurgitated the words tossing them over her shoulder. They hurt just as much coming out of her mouth as they did when she heard them coming out of Beca's. Chloe pulled the handle of her car door to open it when Beca's hand quickly closed it.
"I'm sorry" Beca said forcefully. "Please just let me talk to you."
"I'm just trying to stay the fuck away from you." Chloe said softly.
"Okay" Beca whispered. "I'm sorry Chloe." She said as she looked up into crystal blue eyes. "I was so angry and upset and I had no business talking to you like that."
Chloe could see the sincerity in Beca's eyes.
"What I said" Beca swallowed, "I took things out on you and you didn't deserve that. You don't deserve that. I was such a jackass." She rolled her eyes at herself, "Am a jackass. Most of the time."
Chloe stood curiously silent waiting to see what Beca would say next.
"Benji's funeral is tomorrow." Beca said as she turned to lean up against Chloe's car door pushing her hands back into her pocket.
Chloe took stock of Beca's appearance in her uniform pants and polo shirt. She looked like she did the first day they met at the coffee shop. "Aren't you supposed to be at the fire station or something?" Chloe deflected. She wanted to draw it out as long as possible before telling the firefighter that she had forgiven her.
"I got off about a couple hours ago." Beca answered. "I came straight here to apologize."
"I'm sorry about Benji." Chloe whispered as she moved to stand in front of Beca. "I remember him from the fire safety day. He was a very nice man."
Beca nodded. "He was. He would have made one hell of a fireman."
Chloe frowned. She wasn't sure how to respond to that. It felt like Beca had more to say but wasn't ready to give it up.
"I should go." Chloe said softly.
Beca moved off of Chloe's car door as the redhead stepped around her. She opened the door and placed her bag inside.
"It was my fault." Beca said in a broken voice.
Chloe pulled out of the car and turned back around. "What was?" Chloe asked. She was sure they weren't talking about the hospital incident anymore.
"Benji. It was my fault." Beca admitted.
"Beca" Chloe said tenderly as she closed the gap between them. She put her arms around Beca's neck and felt relieved as she felt Beca's hands on her back immediately. "I heard what Bumper said. It wasn't your fault."
"It was." Beca replied as she buried her head in Chloe's neck. She didn't come here for this. She didn't realize she needed this until it was happening. It suddenly dawned on her that Chloe knew exactly what she needed. "It was my call to clear the building. My call to send them in. I should have just let it burn."
Chloe squeezed Beca tighter as she felt uneven breaths coming from the brunette. She felt Beca loosen her grip and did the same pulling away from her. Her dark blue eyes were glossy.
"I didn't mean to hurt you." Beca whispered. "By saying those things. I know you were just trying to help me and I'm sorry." Beca repeated. "That's what I came here to say."
Chloe nodded as her arms fell to her side. She was about to say she understood. About to say she forgave her but Beca turned quickly pushing her hands back in her pockets as she walked to her jeep. Chloe climbed into her car and head over to UCLA Med to pick up Aubrey.
XxXxXx
Chloe sprinted as gingerly as she could to avoid the puddles from her car to her front door. She pushed the hood of her light blue rain jacket off her head. It had been raining from the moment she stepped out of the front door to go to work that Friday morning and it didn't show any sign of slowing. Chloe shook her arms sending water droplets flying. She was startled as the front door opened quickly.
"Hey" Chloe greeted Aubrey.
Aubrey stepped out of the house, locked the door, and turned back towards her drenched friend. She held her umbrella out in front of her and pushed it open. "Hey." She finally greeted. "Let's go." Aubrey linked her arm with Chloe's as she lead the redhead back towards the car she just came from.
"Where are we going?" Chloe asked as she huddled under Aubrey's umbrella.
Aubrey didn't answer. She escorted her best friend to the passenger seat and then made her way to the driver's seat. Once she closed the umbrella and shook it out enough to put in the car, she closed the door and turned to the redhead. "Have you ever been to a firefighter's funeral?" Aubrey asked.
Chloe shook her head.
"We're going." Aubrey replied. "You need to see this."
"Why?" Chloe asked.
"Because if you're going to insist on having feelings" Aubrey said with air quotes "for Beca, I want you to see what she is trying to protect you from."
"So what? We're just going to crash a funeral?" Chloe asked sarcastically. When she got home from school yesterday and told Aubrey about her run in with Beca and how Beca waited outside her school just to apologize to her, she didn't think Aubrey would use that information against her. She didn't the she swooned as much as apparently she did.
"The funeral. No" Aubrey answered. "We're going to the fire station. They always have a ceremony and the community is welcome."
Chloe sat back in her seat as Aubrey started her car. "Is this because of yesterday?" Chloe asked as they winded their way through the neighborhood.
"I'm glad that Beca apologized to you. She shouldn't have spoken to you that way. And maybe" Aubrey paused, "maybe she isn't as much of a bitch as I thought she was." The words tasted horrible out of Aubrey's mouth. "The way she stood up for you with Luke was something I didn't expect from her. So maybe she isn't as bad as I thought. Maybe?" Aubrey teased with a side glance towards Chloe. "That doesn't mean I like her and that doesn't mean you have any idea of what you would be getting yourself into with her."
"She told me she likes me but that nothing is going to happen." Chloe repeated for the thousandth time. "Which I don't understand why, I mean she obviously cares about me and how I feel or she wouldn't have shown up at the school yesterday. I could see it in her eyes. She wants to be more than friends but she's just holding back. I think it's just a matter of time." Chloe smiled hoping she could wear the brunette down eventually.
"That's exactly what I'm talking about Chlo." Aubrey scolded. "You have no idea what she is trying to protect you from. But I'm about to show you."
The rest of the short car ride Chloe sat looking out the window as the rain pounded the glass. Yes Beca's job was dangerous, she knew that, but she didn't see it as a reason to not see if they could be something. It was obvious to her that Beca felt it too. She heard her say the words that night after the fight and she saw it in her eyes yesterday. Maybe it was worth the risk. She thought it was. Now all she had to do was convince Beca.
Aubrey pulled the car into the parking lot of a drugstore a block away from the firehouse. Chloe took notice of all the people walking around with umbrellas and raincoats. They were all headed in the same direction. All headed towards 72. The sound of the car door closing startled her. She turned to see that Aubrey was already out of the car with her umbrella opened. Chloe quickly opened the door and got out of the car. This wasn't the way she anticipated spending her Friday afternoon but her curiosity was peaked. Once out of the car she hurried to join Aubrey under her umbrella.
"Ready?" Aubrey asked.
Chloe nodded.
The rain hadn't let up as Aubrey and Chloe found a place across the street from Firehouse 72. Chloe looked to her right and to her left at all of the people who came out to the ceremony. Most were crowded under umbrellas as they stood silently waiting. She felt the sadness of the crowd around her. She caught a glimpse of Luke, standing with another man who held a camera. She looked away quickly hoping he wouldn't see her. She turned back towards the fire station. Both firetrucks were pulled out onto the street on opposite sides of the driveway and both trucks and the ambulance behind them had their lights on but not the sirens. They flashed red and blue through the grey rainy sky. One truck, the one Beca had shown her on her first and only visit to the station had its ladder extended and a large American Flag hung from it. She watched as the occasional gust of wind moved the soaked fabric. The sound of bagpipes rang through the air earning her attention. Her eyes shot towards the large truck bay of the station where two lines of men and women in uniforms began filing out followed by a middle aged woman clutching to a man with grey hair holding a large black umbrella. She watched as someone escorted them into the street behind the truck that read Engine 72. She knew from fire safety day that was the truck that Benji rode on. The bagpipes continued to sound as Chloe saw Stacie and CR walk out of the station. They were followed by the firemen that Chloe recognized. She watched Bumper make his way out of the station holding a helmet in his hands directly in front of his chest. Immediately behind him were two lines of men. Four on each side carrying a casket between them with a white flag draped over the top. Chloe watched Bumper stop in front of the man and the woman and present the man with the firefighter's helmet. He then stepped to the side as the casket was raised up to a few men and placed on top of Engine 72 fire truck. The sound of the bagpipes stopped suddenly and all that was heard was the sound of raindrops hitting concrete. The sudden silence was almost overwhelming. In a crowd of at least a hundred people nothing was heard. Not the sound of cars driving through the adjacent neighborhood. Not the sound of footsteps or voices. Not the sound of crying. Just the constant thud of rain hitting the ground. She looked back across the road at the line of men and women in front of the fire station. That's when she saw her. Standing next to Bumper with their brothers and sisters behind them. She took stock of Beca's uniform. It was black with a white shirt and black tie. It remindered her a lot of a soldier's dress uniform. The buttons down the front were gold and matched the two on the tops of her jacket's shoulders. Chloe noticed that Beca was wearing a badge. From where she was standing it looked like a policeman's badge or at least what she thought one looked like. She'd never seen one up close. But Beca's badge had a black strip across the middle. She glanced down the line and noticed that everyone had the same strip. Beca's posture was ridged as she stood motionless, expressionless looking straight ahead with her arms behind her back. Her hat was white with a black bill, the same as Bumper's, but Jesse and Stacie and the other firefighter's wore black hats. She had pins and medals on her right chest much like a soldier would have and Chloe immediately wondered why she had those and how she earned them.
"In the Los Angeles Fire Department the alarm code 232 signifies that a company has returned home. We will now ring out that code in memory of Firefighter Benjamin Applebaum." Chief Smith said.
A firefighter from the end of the line began walking towards the man and woman under the umbrella. He presented the woman with a flag that had been folded in a triangle, like Chloe had seen in the movies. Once it was in the woman's hands, the firefighter made his way back to the end of the line.
"Detail" rang out from a deep voice. "Attention"
At once the line of firefighters including Beca, Jesse, Bumper, Stance and CR, stood up straighter if possible. Their feet came together with a loud stomp and their arms slapped against the sides of their legs.
"Present Arms" The deep voice echoed through the wet air.
Chloe watched as white gloved hands slowly began to raise in unison stopping once they were at the bottom of the bill of their hats. Beca's eyes never changed. They stared straight ahead only blinking occasionally as the water dripped off the bill of her hat. Her face was hard and stoic but filled with sadness. Chloe could see it. She wondered if others could as well.
Two rings followed by a short pause, then three, then a final two rang out.
"Order, arms" Was the next command as the men and woman lowered their hands back down to their side.
The woman under the umbrella clutching the flag to her chest raised a hand to blot her nose with a tissue. The first half of firefighters in the line including Beca moved, crossing in front of the man and woman, stopping on the side of the firetruck. The truck slowly started to pull away from its position in the street with firefighters of the house walking beside it, escorting their fallen brother to his final resting place. Chief Smith and the other uniformed firemen and women followed behind the man and woman, who Chloe determined were Benji's parents, as she watched them proceed up the street until they were out of sight.
Chloe hadn't realized she was crying until a tear slid down her cheek.
XxXxXx
"Where are we?" Chloe asked as Aubrey pulled the car into a parking lot of a small building she'd never been to or heard of since moving to Hidden Hills.
"10-70" Aubrey said.
Chloe rolled her eyes. She could also read the lettering across the top of the building. With the rain finally letting up Aubrey didn't bother grabbing her umbrella as she got out of the car. Chloe got out and followed her best friend into the building. Once inside Chloe took in her surroundings. Bare low wattage light bulbs littered the ceiling providing a dim lit atmosphere. Wooden ladder's hung sideways along some of the walls acted at shelving for framed photos and trinkets. Chloe immediately noticed they were fire or police related. She looked through the small crowd that had gathered, who she now noticed were made up of uniformed police officers, to a clearing which lead to a dart board. Lettering across the top labeled that area 'Bullets VS Hoses'. Her eyes wandered to the back center of the room to the bar. The ceiling above was covered in small string lights, raining down light on the wooden bar below. Behind the bar, above the shelving of liquor, were crossed axes mounted to the wall. It wasn't a fancy trendy place but it did give off a certain mood.
"So…" Chloe heard in a family Australian accent, "a nurse and teacher walk into a bar full of cops"
"Hey Amy" Aubrey greeted with a smile.
"So this is a cop bar?" Chloe questioned.
"You'll usually find Hidden Hills finest here on most nights." Amy said looking around at the patrons. "But we share with those nozzle jockeys." She teased.
Chloe looked over to Aubrey who shrugged. "Let's get a drink." Aubrey suggested to her redheaded friend.
"I'll escort you ladies." Amy offered. "No telling how many times you two will be asked to submit to a strip search tonight." She said as she watched the officers in the bar follow the movements of the blonde and redhead. Chloe looked to Amy with a frightened expression but the large woman shrugged in response.
An hour later Chloe noticed damp firefighters begin to make their way into the bar. Some she recognized but didn't know their names. She knew they were members of House 72. They were in their uniforms from the service. She kept her eyes towards the door hoping to see one firefighter in particular but it was becoming harder and harder to keep watch as she and Aubrey were slowly surrounded by more and more policemen who were shamelessly flirting with them. Just as Amy had warned.
Beca followed Jesse through the door of the bar. It was their place. A place they all went after a brother or sister was buried. It didn't matter if it was a shield or a badge they all ended up there to support one another with their brothers in blue. Beca pulled off her white gloves and removed her white cap as she weaved her way through the crowd. She placed the gloves in her hat and laid it upside down on the bar top and took her place on her favorite bar stool. She nodded her head to the bar tender who stood with a white dishtowel over his shoulder as he wiped out a glass. He acknowledged the nod. Seconds later, a cardboard coaster was set in front of her and a bottle of beer quickly followed. It was the one of many she planned on consuming that night. There were two more traditions to come but she knew she had time for a couple beers as they waited for Bumper, who was spending extra time with the Chief and Benji's parents, to arrive.
Beca sat facing the bar with her back to the crowd as Jesse turned on the bar stool next to her. He looked out over the sea of firemen and cops. His eye's stopped roaming when he caught a glimpse of familiar blonde hair. He would be able to spot her anywhere. He had spent enough time staring at her from afar to be able to pick her out of a backwards lineup. It was only confirmed that Aubrey was in fact there when he saw flaming red hair next to her. He spun back around joining Beca in her sadness as he worked on his beer. It was their tradition. Funeral. Drink. Stagger home. This time he hoped he wouldn't be staggering home alone. Maybe there would be a cute blonde nurse by his side.
Tyler. At least that's what Chloe thought his name was. He was cute and funny and looked good in his policeman's uniform but Chloe wasn't interested but she kept talking to the man. He was the least aggressive in his flirtations and advances out of his group of friends that she and Aubrey currently stood in the middle of. She wasn't sure how they ended up there, one moment Fat Amy was taking them to the bar and getting them the first round of drinks and then they were headed to a table but never made it. They were swarmed by the cops. The attention was a little overwhelming. Aubrey was currently being sweet talked by a two different boys in blue and Chloe was secretly happy that Tyler had honed in on her and somehow chased the majority of his friends away. Chloe felt her stomach tighten when Jessica appeared next to Aubrey. She looked around quickly and was relieved that Luke was not right behind her. She let out a shaky breath and nodded affirmatively when Tyler asked her if she was okay. He said something about going to get her a drink and then disappeared. Chloe took the opportunity to talk to Jessica.
"Hi" Chloe said greeting Jessica.
"Hey Chloe" Jessica returned.
"I sorry again" Chloe apologized quickly still feeling bad for the incident at Jessica's house.
"It's okay. Really" Jessica said quickly placing a comforting hand on Chloe's shoulder. "I know Luke can be a jerk sometimes. I mean, I'm not happy that Beca broke my brother's nose but it's highly possible that he deserved it." Jessica said with a conflicting smile. "They have history, so" She said with a wave of her hand. Chloe was about to ask about that when Tyler appeared back by her side with a new drink for her. She accepted the drink with a smile and turned back to Jessica who had already been swarmed by overly flirtations cops and Theo who looked handsome in his formal black uniform.
She was half listening to Tyler ramble on about himself and his latest cop adventures, as if it were supposed to impress her, and half took stock of the crowd. She was the outsider. The majority of the crowd were cops or firemen or nurses she recognized from the hospital who had waived or said hi to Aubrey. She could tell some other girls and a few guys in attendance were boyfriends or girlfriends but they were sparse.
"Are these guys bothering you?" Jesse asked cutting through the crowd.
The relief that he was there was evident on Aubrey's face.
"Oh no. Don't tell me you ladies are hose honies." One of the more arrogant and drunk cops said loudly after seeing Aubrey move to stand close to Jesse.
"Excuse me?" Aubrey asked loudly at the slang nickname she instantly found derogatory.
Theo and Jesse stepped forward towards the man. "Excuse me" Jesse said quietly to him. "Do you want to step outside so we can talk about the appropriate way to address a lady?" He asked seriously with his chest puffed out.
"It's cool. We're cool" Tyler said stepping in between Jesse and the drunk cop. "We're not here for that fella's. Right?" He said turning to his co-worker. "Right?"
His offensive friend backed down and Tyler turned to Jesse and apologized on behalf of himself and the police force for the loss of their brother. He and Jesse clinked beer bottles just as several cops and firefighters began making the rounds of the bar with large wooden trays in their hands filled with shot glasses. Jesse pulled three holding them in a triangle with his hands. He offered the first to Aubrey, then to Jessica and finally turned to Chloe to give her the last one as he grabbed another from the tray for himself. "She's at the bar" Jesse said leaning into Chloe.
Chloe's head turned quickly toward the direction his eyes lead her. She turned to Tyler and quickly excused herself leaving the man confused as he watched her move through the crowd towards the bar until he lost sight of her.
Beca saw a shot glass placed next to her. She caught a glimpse of red hair straddle the bar stool directly beside her. She took a deep breath as the bar tender sat her own shot down in front of her. A hush came over the crowd as everyone turned towards the side of the room where Bumper made his way through the crowd. Beca's head turned in that direction as she watched him. Chloe wasn't sure what was about to happen but she couldn't pull her eyes off Beca as she watched Bumper. She glanced in the man's direction to see him pull something out of his pocket and approach a wall. It was the first time she'd noticed the wall. It was covered in shiny badges. Some were the same but most were different shapes. Some were silver and some were gold. Some looked old and some appeared to be newer.
Bumper placed the badge on the wall and held a small nail between his thumb and finger. He reached for the brick that lay on the ledge right next to him. He held the brick out and hit the nail square on the first hit just as he moved his fingers. It wasn't the first time he had performed this ritual and it probably wouldn't be the last. He placed the brick back in its place for the next time it would need to be used and stepped back. Someone handed him a shot. He looked on at Benji's badge and brought the small glass to his lips. He drained the shot quickly in memory of his fallen brother.
The crowd who was familiar with the custom drank immediately after Bumper and Chloe scurried for her shot glass to do the same. She felt the liquid burn as it went down her throat. Beca nodded to the bartender who took her empty shot glass and then Chloe's. Chloe looked down at Beca's uniform. She reached and tentatively ran her finger over the medal and ribbons placed across the right chest. Beca swallowed hard as she felt Chloe inspecting her. Beca rested her left elbow on the bar and turned her head that was cradled in her left hand to the right towards the teacher. They didn't speak. They just sat. Chloe's presence comforted the firefighter. She was glad the other woman was there and for Chloe that was enough. The bartender set a fresh beer down in front of Beca and turned to ask Chloe what she'd like. He left and re-emerged less than a minute later with a tequila and tonic placing the glass down on coaster in front of her. She reached for the glass and brought the small black straw to her lips, sipping down some of the drink. She placed her glass back down. Beca slowly moved her right hand towards Chloe's left that just vacated her drink. Beca stopped a few inches from the redhead's hand. She looked at them and waited but Chloe never made a move to close the distance so Beca did it herself. The side of her hand met Chloe's as she looped her pinky finger around the art teachers.
Chloe turned her head to look at Beca after the gesture. Her bright blue eyes were met by a pair of navy eyes looking back at her. She took this moment to speak to the firefighter for the first time. "Are you okay?" She asked softly.
"Yeah" Beca answered softly. "I saw you at the ceremony. At the house."
Chloe nodded. She didn't realize Beca saw her. "It was a nice ceremony." Chloe complimented but it felt wrong. "I'm sorry, I don't really know what I'm supposed to say. I mean of course it was sad but it was lovely." Chloe felt stupid.
"It's fine." Beca said trying to ease her uncomfortableness.
"You look nice in your uniform." Chloe blushed. She wanted to complement the firefighter because she thought she did look good. Better than good actually, she looked sexy.
"Thanks" Beca answered as a small smile crept over her face at Chloe's embarrassment.
Chloe's smile mirrored Beca's as they held eye contact.
The crowd behind them livened up prompting Beca to look over her shoulder at the commotion.
"Beca!" Chloe recognized one of the members of Beca's squad team call her name looking over the crowed. "You're going to want to see this." He said loudly.
That's when Chloe noticed the patrons of the bar were all moving towards the door. Beca took one more long swig of her beer before she stood. Chloe followed the brunette out of the bar. The cops and firefighters were turned looking at the wall next to the door she just walked out of. She turned to face the wall wondering what everyone was staring and whispering at. Her heart sank as she read the words. Chloe's hand immediately sought Beca's. She laced her fingers between the firefighters unable to tear her eyes away.
Beca felt anger slowly wash over her as she pushed her way through the crowd to a small clearing. Everyone backed up slowly as the Lieutenant in her dress uniform laid eyes on the graffiti. The white paint slowly ran down from the ends of the letters. She couldn't pull her eyes from it.
Chloe felt Beca squeeze her hand. She wasn't sure if it was involuntary or on purpose. She remembered the way Bea balled her fists right before she punched Luke. She squeezed the firefighter's hand hoping to offer her comfort. A bright light flashed as Chloe turned to look at Beca who never took her eyes off the words freshly spray painted on the brick wall.
AN: I don't think you guys really liked how last chapter went. Hope this one was okay. Let me know what you think.