A/N: Here you go guys, the last chapter of Stop There and Let Me Correct It. I had a little mishap when counting how many chapters I had, and I know I said there was supposed to be one more after this, but it was my mistake. I hope you guys enjoy this run, and the third installment will be up as soon as it's finished! Keep an eye out, guys, and I really hope you guys like how I finished this installment.
Thursday, March 24th
Being trapped in an apartment by herself during the day wasn't really taking as much of a toll on Beca that she thought it would. She hadn't really gotten much more sleep since the whole Chris incident, but Chloe has slowly gotten her to get more hours than she was before. During the day, while everyone was at school (Or in Chloe's case, looking for job opportunities in LA), Beca took to being alone rather than being with Jesse, and it stuck that way for a while. Beca rarely talked to anyone outside her immediate family since the event, and everyone seemed to be walking on eggshells around her, almost like she would break at any moment.
This really bothered Beca. She hated when people were so careful around her; it made her feel like she couldn't do anything on her own. She knew she could; she had been doing it for so long and nobody seemed to have a problem with it until now. Nobody seemed to care about what Beca did as long as it was considered "safe" and didn't involve dealing drugs, but now that she had one bad relationship everyone assumes she's going to break.
What irritated the alt girl the most was when people repetitively told her that what happened with Chris wasn't her fault. She didn't understand why so many people kept telling her that- the times that it happened, it was her fault. She had cheated on him the first time, and the other times after she had egged him on. She had gotten attacked by him because it was her fault, but nobody else seemed to see it like that but her. She had accepted it and tried to move on, despite the recurring nightmares, and things were starting to go okay so far.
Beca and Chloe were set to move back to LA at the beginning of April, so Beca had taken to help pack Chloe's things that were going with them and sending them ahead of time, while putting the big furniture in storage. By the time they were finished, all that was left of Chloe's empty apartment was a few boxes that were going to Scott's apartment until they left, consisting of clothes and items that Chloe would need around, like her laptop or various other things.
When it came down to it, Beca was actually quite glad that Belle had convinced her to come out for the few months that it took for her to recover. It was helping her a lot, and she had not only busted out a few mixes, but she also got lyrics written for a few original songs. Despite the small bumps that she was dealing with while in Georgia, she was getting a lot of business things done, and she knew that as soon as she got back to LA, she'd be able to get a few songs recorded, and she'd be putting out her own solo album. Things were looking up.
She was in the middle of putting one of her songs to music with the help of her brother's guitar and her keyboard when her phone went off, with the default ringtone. With a furrowed brow she put the guitar down and picked up her phone, before answering it.
"Hello?"
"Beca? I-It's Cody. Are.. Could you come pick me up? I'm.. I'm at the hospital."
Beca's eyes widened as she moved as quickly as she could with her still recovering body to put on the brace and grab her brother's keys. She was thanking God in that moment that he walked to school, otherwise she'd be screwed.
"Yeah, I'm on my way.. Stay where you are."
She just hoped that the reason why Cody was at the hospital, wasn't the same reason why her lip was still slightly bruised.
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Waiting for Cody to come out of the Emergency Room was one of the longest waits Beca had to endure since she had to wait for Chloe to call her last fall. She paced back and forth, playing with her hands as a nervous habit. She was afraid of what had happened to the girl. She was afraid that Chris had gone one step too far this time. She was afraid that she couldn't do anything to comfort Cody, because she felt like she wouldn't be strong enough. Cody didn't deserve any of this, not from Chris, not from anyone.
When the colored-haired girl came out of the room with a black eye and her arm in a sling, Mason saw red. Cody looked like she had been hit by a car, and Beca definitely knew what that felt like. She walked up to the girl and looked at her carefully, before pulling her in for a hug. She felt Cody slowly start to relax in her arms, and that was when she felt the wetness against her neck. Cody was crying, probably for the first time since she got to the hospital, and all she could do was hold her while she silently fumed inside.
Once Cody calmed down some, Beca helped her sign out and led her out to her car. She got in the driver's side and just drove around Atlanta, knowing that Cody wouldn't want to go to her classes that day. The Bellas, however, deserved to know what had happened, and Beca promised Cody that she would be with her when she told them.
"Will you tell me what happened before we go to rehearsal, though?" Beca asked, clutching the steering wheel so hard that her knuckles were turning white. She was so pissed that Chris was still out there, doing who knows what to who knows who.
Cody was silent for a moment. Her eyes were fixed outside the window at the passing scenery, and Beca knew that it would take a few moments, if Cody was even going to tell her right now.
"We were.. We were in my room. We were kissing.. A-and he wanted to go all the way." Cody started, her voice wavering and broken. She had a cut on her lip that matched Beca's, and Beca could tell by the way she flinched every time she had to blink that the bruise on her eye was pretty bad. "I told him no. That's all I did- I just told him no. He completely flipped.. There.. There was yelling.. A lot of it.. I kept telling him to stop, that I hadn't done that before, to leave me alone..He kept trying to force me, Beca." Beca watched as Cody wiped a stray tear from the corner of her eye. "I guess someone heard me, because they called the cops.. One cop.. No, two cops.. They got him off of me, a-and they arrested him, and another one called an ambulance."
Beca could feel her heart breaking for the girl next to you. "Cody.. Has anyone called your parents?"
Cody shook her head and looked over at Beca. "My parents died when I was little. I was put into foster care, but I never landed a home so I was stuck in a group home. I have no siblings, either.. I'm just by myself."
Beca reached over and gently took Cody's uninjured hand in her own. "Well… One thing's for sure. You've got all the family you need within the Bellas, and Scott, because lets face it, he's basically a Bella." That got a smile out of Cody. "And another thing, that bastard is finally behind bars, where he belongs." She paused a moment to pull over, and turned towards Cody. "But I need you to promise me something, alright?"
When Cody nodded, she continued. "I don't want to hear that you're blaming yourself, okay? None of this.. None of it is your fault, okay? You didn't do anything to deserve it, so don't think that you did. You.. This was just a bump in the road. He's not going to hurt you, not anymore. You're safe. But I don't want you thinking that you're worthless because this happened to you, or that you did something to push him to this, because you didn't. He's just an awful, awful person, that doesn't deserve to be with someone as amazing as you, got it?" She stated, giving Cody's hand a gentle squeeze when the junior met her eyes.
"You are worth so much more than some asshole who thinks it's alright to hurt girls. Hurt us. We're safe, okay? He's not going to hurt us." She cleared her throat, knowing that at some point she started saying 'we' and 'us' instead of just talking to Cody. She could feel her breathing start to pick up at the anger that came with thinking about Christopher Loveless, but she choked it down, and put the car back in drive. "Now.. How about we go get some ice cream or something."
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Monday, April 4th
Chloe coming with her to LA was the dream that Beca had wanted for the past two years. She was beyond glad to heave the boxes up with the help of Cynthia Rose and Maggie (Chloe had decided to get them all lunch in return for doing the manual labor), and she didn't mind at all when Maggie all but demanded that they all have a movie night to welcome Beca back, and to welcome Chloe to their home to stay. By the time they had gotten everything unpacked, it was bordering on time for dinner, and everyone had agreed to Maggie's demand. It was a nice first night back, and Beca was starting to feel happier each day.
The shake up with Cody really just left Beca pissed off and crying, both out of happiness and frustration. She was frustrated with herself that she didn't keep a better eye on Cody, but Marie, Cody, and Chloe all reminded her that it wasn't her job to watch the junior. She had done all that she could, and that was more than Cody could of asked for. She slowly started to forgive herself for blaming herself about Chris, and it was obvious how Beca was starting to become happy again, slowly but surely.
The next day, Beca was surprisingly the first to get out of bed. Her body was still on Georgia time, and unlike Chloe, she wasn't that jet-lagged. She wanted to get to the studio as soon as she could, mostly so she could get a move on this solo album. It was a for-sure project, even Zach and Jesse were on board with the whole thing. While Beca was bustling about, making sure that she had everything she needed for a day of recording, she didn't even notice when Chloe came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her. Beca had jumped, but relaxed when she heard Chloe chuckle and hold her tighter. Beca smiled and leaned into Chloe's touch, before turning around in her arms.
"What's got you up so early?" Chloe whispered, trying not to wake the other people in the apartment (consisting of Maggie and Alex, who had crashed on the couch).
"I wanna get to the studio- I wanna get a few songs recorded as soon as possible. especially with the BMA's next month." Beca started to ramble, but stopped when she saw Chloe's smile. Chloe just shook her head at her and leaned forward, pressing her lips to Beca's softly for a few moments.
"Okay, stop hustling and relax for a few moments. We can make it down there, I mean, it's your studio, right? Not like you've got to beat anyone there, right?"
Beca smiled at her girlfriend and kissed her again before she grabbed her hand and her guitar case before they headed out towards Beca's studio.
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"When you gonna come lift me up?
I'm out of my head, flat on my face.
Is anybody here listening?
When you gonna come let me in?
.
Cause the hardest part is holding on,
When everything has come undone.
Yeah everybody needs someone."
Chloe grinned as she hit the stop recording button in the studio. Beca had taught her all that she needed to to help her with the recording, and she was really glad to be able to help out her girlfriend with everything. She gave Beca the thumbs up, and Beca grinned at her before pulling off the headphones and walking out of the booth. She listened to the back track a few times while messing with different electronic beats and instruments before she set that to the side, and turned towards Chloe. She pecked the girls cheek, and gently took the redheads hands in her own.
"So.. I know you weren't expecting this.. But I wrote another song, and I kinda wanted to sing it as a duet with you." Beca admitted, squeezing her girlfriends hands gently. "I can give you the lyrics, but I just want to.. you know, record it right away. I want it to be raw, so.. You start, and I'll follow your lead?" Beca suggested, going into her bag and pulling out a set of scribbled-down sheets of music.
Chloe looked down at them and nodded, and Beca grinned before pulling up her guitar. It was an acoustic song, and Beca slowly started to play. The sheet music held every lyric and pause for them, and Beca was glad that she put in the extra effort. She knew exactly how she wanted this song to be, and Chloe was going to sing it like it was, mostly because that's how Chloe was. Beca knew they'd sound perfect.
Oh, I've been sitting here for hours
As I wish for this to start
I set my standards high
In hopes they will not fall apart
It's almost like I fell asleep
My doubts have seemed to fade
Because I've opened up my eyes to see
I'm right where I planned to be
Today!
Today!"
Beca grinned as she heard Chloe start to sing, and she leaned forward into her mic to pick up the harmonies in the chorus. Her eyes fell on the redhead next to her, and she could see her nodding her head along to the guitar, her eyes falling on the paper as if to scan ahead for where she was singing next.
"Cast your nets, cast it out
And I hope to god you'll scream and shout
It's everything you wanted, maybe more
Anyone can dream through the night
But only some can dream with eyes wide
There lies the fight inside
It resides in everyone
They will proclaim you a fool
And it reminds you to do
Anything and everything to prove them a liar
It's almost like I fell asleep
My doubts have seemed to fade
Because I've opened up my eyes to see
I'm right where I planned to be
Today!
Today!
Cast your nets, cast it out
And I hope to god you'll scream and shout
It's everything you wanted, maybe more."
Beca could feel Chloe's hand on her shoulder, and she smiled into the microphone as she sang her heart out. She had the lyrics memorized, so as she pulled away from the paper in front of her, she tilted her head so that she could watch Chloe better while singing and playing. She didn't notice Ethan walk into the studio booth, but the man standing there watching them grinned, spotting love hearts in Beca's eyes as the girl looked at Chloe. It was so obvious how head over heels Beca was for Chloe, and Ethan loved seeing Beca this vulnerable. He had only caught some parts of the song, but hearing their voices and seeing how they were in the studio together had his heart soaring for the two. He was so happy for them.
"Does it seem out of reach?
Hit the ground, and run with both your feet
Here's a lesson that I hope to teach
Believe you'll be a dream catcher
Cry out loud and take the stage
And don't let skeptics slow your pace
With every forward step you'll take
Their breath away
Their breath away
Believe, believe they'll spit their words
And some will say it seems absurd
But devour the cynics,
Dismiss the critics,
And mark my words
They'll regret it when you...
...cast your nets, cast it out
And I hope to god you'll scream and shout
It's everything you wanted, maybe more
Today!
Today!
Cast your nets, cast it out
And I hope to god you'll scream and shout
It's everything you wanted, maybe more
Does it seem out of reach?
Hit the ground, and run with both your feet
Here's a lesson that I hope to teach
Believe you'll be a dream catcher
Please believe you'll be a dream catcher
Please believe you'll be a dream catcher."
As Beca strummed the last few notes on the guitar, Ethan hit the stop recording button, then slowly started to clap for them both. He chuckled when he saw them both jump, Beca jumping more than Chloe as that she was the one staring at the redhead. He watched as they blushed, then turned towards him, Beca removing her guitar.
"You thought you two could get away from me that easily?" He spoke into the microphone, and Beca just smiled and shook her head as she exited the booth, and walked right into a hug from her friend.
"Oh, it's been too long, Koopa. I missed you and your skyscraper qualities." Beca mumbled against his chest, before stepping back and taking Chloe's hand in her own, leading her to the chairs.
"How'd you know where we were?" Chloe asked, taking a seat on Beca's lap. Beca grunted a little, but wrapped her arms around her lover anyways.
"Maggie told me. I stopped by because a little birdy by the name of Cynthia Rose might of mentioned that you were back in town, and made her lift little red's boxes up the stairs." Ethan said with a smirk as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.
"Okay, we didn't make her lift them, she offered." Beca huffed, resting her head on Chloe's chin.
"Don't look at me like that, you look like a sad puppy."
Beca rolled her eyes. "Is there a reason why you're bothering my recording session, Koopa?"
Ethan rose an eyebrow. "Geez, you woulda thought that there'd of been more love for someone who hid their sexuality for you." He feigned hurt, and Chloe laughed.
"You chose to do that, dumbass. Now what's the real reason?"
"I have plans for you, for your birthday surprise."
Chloe's eyes widened. "That's right! Your birthday is this Saturday! My baby's gonna be 23!"
Beca rolled her eyes. "Look at what you did!"
Ethan laughed at them and walked over to them. "Oh don't worry, come Saturday, Chloe's gonna be the least of your problems.
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Saturday, April 9th
"Ethan I am not doing that!"
"Stop your whining. Just make sure your helmets on right, hold onto this bar, then kick off. It's easy."
"I'm going to die!"
"You're not going to die! These are totally safe- Dylan and I do it all the time with Daria."
"Ethan. I'm going to die!"
"Oh, look. Chloe's got it down pretty nicely!"
"What? Ethan I swear to God-"
"Bye, Beca!"
Ethan watched from the mountaintop as Beca was pushed off the cliff, her hang glider easily catching the wind and sending her flying. He watched her struggle for a moment or two, but then she got control of it, and was flying free. He waited a few minutes before he jumped himself, and made sure that he was right behind her the entire way.
Beca, on the other hand, was terrified. She hated heights, but this seemed calming, once she got over the initial fear that if she let go, she'd plummet to the earth below, and would probably die. She watched as the scenery around her came in and out of the misty forest, bringing and taking landscapes and things she had only seen in pictures. It was definitely a gorgeous sight, and Beca was amazed by how great it all looked.
She usually hated her birthday with a passion, because it was one of the only days of the year where she was forced to spend time with her father and Sheila, but today, she didn't mind it. She was having fun, she had her girlfriend with her and she was in LA. Her dreams were coming true, one slow, but steady step at a time.
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Sunday, May 15th
The BMA's in Las Vegas was an event that every aspiring musician dreamed about. Beca's dreams were coming true as she waited patiently backstage; she had to present the Top Male Artist award, was nominated for Top Digital Songs Artist, and Ashlynn O'Daire was nominated for Top New Artist. They had gotten her album out a little after Christmas, and it sold like crazy. Beca was set to perform a new song off her solo album, one that she made sure none of her friends had heard, and her nerves were settling in, as usual. She shook out her nerves as she got ready to present; she'd be on her own out there.
She had been backstage when Top New Artist was announced, but it didn't surprise her when Ashlynn's name was called out. She clapped as loud as she could from behind the curtain, obviously very proud of her client. She listened intently to her speech, and she beamed with joy when Ashlynn thanked her. It was something she never thought she heard, but she was glad that she had. She was making Ashlynn's dreams come true, and that made her all the more happy inside.
She peeked behind the curtains, looking at the crowd, and instead of her nerves coming at full force, a wave of adrenaline coursed through her. She waited patiently until her name was announced, and she followed the sound of the applause out to the podium where she began her speech.
"Wow, okay. I never thought I'd get this much love from a giant crowd." She chuckled, and smiled out at everyone as she spoke into the microphone; her voice echoing around the semi-quiet room. "The next category of the night is one that I personally could never go out for, Top Male Artist. The nominees in this category are those that have been big in the industry for a while, and there's no doubt in my mind that these are all talented artists. I haven't had the chance to work with them- yet-, and it would be an honor to even be in the same room as these guys. Heck, I'm shaking up here in this dress, you just can't see it." She waited for the small amount of laughter coming from the crowd died down before continuing.
"Your nominees for Top New Artist are: Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Drake, Pharrell Williams, and Justin Timberlake."
She waited for the screen behind her to do the video intros for the nominees, and then it was time for her to announce the winner. She waited patiently for the applause to stop again, and after taking a deep breath, she spoke again.
"And the winner, for Top Male Artist is…" Pause, for dramatic effect. "Ed Sheeran!"
She watched as the British singer stood up with a grin and walked up to the stage, and effortlessly gave Beca a hug. She didn't mind it- she personally loved the man's work, so after she handed him his award she stepped back and listened to his speech. It was a nice and touching speech, but after he was done she was pulled backstage to get changed for her performance. This is when her nerves settled in.
The thing about this particular performance was that this song was one that was really close to her heart. It meant a lot to her, and she was about to show the entire country a side of her that she never thought she'd be showing. She took repetitive deep breaths, trying to keep herself calm as Top Duo/Group was being announced. She was set to perform after that category, so as she tuned up her guitar and waited patiently, she had a steady mantra going through her head:
You can do this.
Don't worry about what they think.
This is for you, and for Cody.
Do it for Cody.
When the transitional music played she watched as the stage crew hurried to get her stand and microphones set up. She saw a wave of people on their phones and moving around in the crowd, and she swallowed a few times as she waited. She hated waiting. She really hated waiting.
The waiting came to an end when the cameras came back from a commercial break, and she walked onstage with her camera in hand, and the spotlight on her. She sat on the stool and adjusted herself, making sure her guitar was tuned one last time before leaning up to the mic.
"This one's for Cody." She spoke, giving a gentle smile before she started into the next song.
"Hey, girl, you know you drive me crazy
One look puts the rhythm in my hand.
Still I'll never understand why you hang around
I see what's going down.
.
Cover up with make-up in the mirror
Tell yourself, it's never gonna happen again
You cry alone and then he swears he loves you."
Beca's breath hitched as she met Chloe's eyes in the audience, and she saw how her girlfriend barely held an expression. She couldn't tell what Chloe was feeling, what she was thinking, and that kind of scared her. She glanced next to Chloe and saw Belle smiling at her, swaying along to the music. Typical Belle.
"Do you feel like a man when you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well, I'll tell you, my friend, one day this world's gonna end
As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.
.
A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect
Every action in this world will bear a consequence
If you wade around forever, you will surely drown
I see what's going down.
.
I see the way you go and say you're right again,
Say you're right again
Heed my lecture."
As she fell into the next chorus, Beca felt her heart start to beat faster as she realized that everyone was staring at her. Everyone was knowing her deepest, darkest secret now. By noon the next day there was going to be press everywhere about what "Beca Mitchell's New Song" is about.
"One day she will tell you that she has had enough
He's coming round again.
.
Do you feel like a man when you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well, I'll tell you, my friend, one day this world's gonna end
As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found."
Her throat was getting dry but she powered through; she was Beca-Freakin'-Mitchell, and she was determined. She played harder and looked out at the crowd, noticing how everyone had either sympathetic looks or just seemed intrigued by the looks on everyone's faces. She tried to block them out as she finished the song.
"Face down in the dirt,
She said, 'This doesn't hurt.'
She said, 'I finally had enough.' "
As she finished the song, the crowd erupted in a wave of cheers, and Beca knew she had made it. She bowed and went to head backstage again, so she could change back into a different dress for the rest of the night, something she'd be comfortable in, but something that had something she had been hiding in the pocket for the night. She had a plan for tonight, and that plan was going to go into motion as soon as her category was announced, and was for sure going to be gone through with if she won the award. When she returned to the seat, she took her spot between Chloe and Jesse, and immediately her fingers were laced with her girlfriends. A wave of security washed over her, and she felt on top of the world. Adrenaline continued to race through her veins, and she was ecstatic. At some point, Jesse had leaned over, and whispered in her ear.
"Do you have it?"
Beca grinned and nodded. "It's in my pocket."
"You've got this in the bag, Becs. You know what she's going to say."
"I just hope you're right."
Soon Beca's category was announced, and Beca chewed on her lip, while Chloe just squeezed her hand. They were all nervous for Beca, but Beca was the most nervous. This award would make or break her near future, and while she was terrified, she was also excited. She took a few deep breaths while the nominees were being announced, and when the announcer paused, her heart stopped.
"Beca Mitchell!"
Applause broke out and Beca's head started to spin, but she stepped past her friends and out into the aisle, while the camera watched her walk up. She felt her stomach in her throat and wiped her hands on her dress slightly as she took her award, and stood up to the podium again.
"Oh, geez that's heavier than I thought." The crowd laughed. "Uhh.. Well, I honestly wasn't expecting this, but I just have to say.. well, thank you. Thank you to my wonderful fans, both the new ones and the ones who loved the Bellas, thank you to my dad and Sheila," That one surprised even her. "To my brother, Scott, to Jesse, my manager, Zach, to Ethan," She heard a 'woop' coming from somewhere around Scott, and she laughed into the mic. "But.. above everyone else, sorry guys, I'd like to thank my wonderful girlfriend, Chloe Beale, who has been my rock through everything else. Chloe, I love you forever, and, wow, that was actually really cheesy." She cleared her throat while everyone laughed, and she quickly looked at the hosts and the stage manager of the night, who gave her the okay. Luckily, she had checked with them about this beforehand, just in case. "And.. One more thing, Jess, will you bring her up here?"
Everyone watched as Jesse escorted a very confused Chloe up to the podium, and Beca grinned at her. "Chloe, even back in college you were always there for me, and you always knew exactly what to say. You are my everything, and well, I want you to be my everything forever. Chloe Beale…" She pulled out a small velvet box from her pocket, "Will you marry me?"