A/N: Hello, my wonderful readers. I apologize for not updating in a long while. It's been rough, and I've been trying to catch up with school work. The last chapter is finished, and should be up soon, and I'm already working on the sequel. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Coming back to Barden University was difficult to do after spending a week in Florida. Beca spent the next few days not wanting to wake up, but she eventually knew it'd be worth it on the days she had classes with Chloe. Chloe was always there to make her day better. Even on the 5 month anniversary of her mother's death, Chloe never left her side. Chloe was her rock, and Beca was terrified of losing her because she still hasn't told her about Los Angeles. She had already found a cheap apartment out in West Hollywood, and she was set to leave not long after graduation. She loved Chloe with all her heart, but did Chloe love her enough to follow her, when the redhead already had a job and was settled at Barden? She wanted to think so, but Chloe was so unpredictable it was hard to tell.
The ICCA's were in a week, and Beca couldn't of been more nervous. Her girls were ready, but they still had a few flaws here and there, and that just upped her anxiety. What if Amy decided to strip again? What if Lily and Marie messed up their beatboxing? There was so many things running through her head that she could barely think straight. She was currently in the studio, pre-setting a bunch of her mixes and various songs to get through the night until Jesse showed up in the morning. She leaned back in the chair and sighed, trying to calm herself down as she mouthed along to the words playing throughout the booth.
It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert, but I'm holding you closer than most, cause you are my heaven.
Music has always been Beca's one true love, long before she met Chloe Beale. She had devoted her heart to music when her parents had gotten the divorce. Her cousin would bring her into his room and play any kind of music, and the 6-year-old Beca fell in love with all kinds of music, bass drops, high notes, all of it. Music was there for her when people weren't. It was always her dream.
But now she had Chloe. Chloe was there when she was sad, she was there (and usually the cause) when she was happy. Chloe cheered her up when she was upset, or calmed her down when she was pissed. Ever since she first saw the girl, she knew there was something about her that drew Beca closer and closer to her. She didn't want to live without her.
She didn't want to choose.
When her shift was over, Beca gathered her things, locked up the studio and headed home. She needed a nice, long, relaxing rest, and she was going to get that. She didn't have classes on Saturday, and she was determined to sleep in, no matter if Scott wanted breakfast or not. He could make his own breakfast if he wanted it so damn badly.
What she wasn't expecting was Chloe at her apartment, waiting for her. When she walked through the door, Chloe was laying on the couch, seeming like she was about to fall asleep. Beca smiled to herself and slipped off her jacket before walking over to her, and bending down on her knees to come face-to-face with her girlfriend of a little more than a month. Chloe looked at her with a tired, groggy look, and Beca laughed softly.
"Have you even slept at all tonight?" Beca asked, sitting down when Chloe sat up.
Chloe's smile remained on her face as she shook her head. "No, I was waiting for you."
Beca's heart soared as she gently pushed Chloe up to sit. She smiled slightly before she hiked the girl up so she would lean against her, then walked with her back to her room. She laid Chloe down on her bed and stirpped down to her underwear, before she climbed into bed, Chloe immediately wrapping her arms around her.
These were the moments that Beca loved the most. The small, loving moments where Beca felt wanted. She felt like Chloe actually needed her- required her for survival. Chloe easily fell asleep in her arms, and Beca sighed to herself. She wanted to cherish this moment, but she knew she'd have to sleep soon. Happy endings weren't forever, and as Beca gently kissed Chloe's forehead and closed her eyes, she fell asleep feeling safe and content with the little snores coming from the redhead in her arms.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
The ICCA's. Big time, New York City. Beca took a deep breath as she looked at the city with a smile, Chloe stepping out of the bus behind her. This was it- they were only hours away from finding out if they would go undefeated again. THe girls had time to go to their hotel (or for Chloe, Scott, and Isabelle- Aubrey's apartment) and get changed before going to the venue. Beca chose to stay in a hotel room with the other girls, mostly because she wanted to spend their last night performing together as a group. With a peck on the lips and a lingering hug to Chloe, Beca was walking into the hotel room with the girls in tow. They had two rooms, and were separating them by seniors and lowerclassmen with a door to connect the rooms.
Beca knew that the girls were going to be nervous (especially the freshman), and she remembered how she was as a freshman. She bit her lip and, before everyone left, she called everyone to the senior's room.
"Okay guys, listen up, and listen good. Beca started, gathering them into a circle. "Tonight, yeah, it's big. It's the National Championships. For some of you, that's all it is. a championship to win. But for others," She looked between the seniors, "This is something that will make our year. I know I'm not the only one who thinks that."
"Yeah, guys. I may not know most of you by something other than 'that one' or 'this one', but I know you all mean something to us. You're not all annoying all the time."
"...Thank you, Amy. Tonight represents all we've done this year. It… shows how we've grown. I remember at auditions, and little Tiffany over there could barely get two words out. I mean, Geeze. She said less than Lily at auditions." Everyone laughed softly. "But now… We're a family. And I know that you all are going to try your best. I love you awesome nerds. Let's win us another championship!" Beca grinned and put her hand in, and all the girls put theirs in. They did the Bella's chant, and Beca couldn't be happier.
All their hard work was finally starting to pay off. They got into formation, Beca blew the pitch pipe. and they were off.
I thought I saw a man, brought to life
(We'll be a perfect family)
He was warm, he came around,
and he was dignified
(You don't here me when I say)
Glazed eyes, empty hearts
buying happy from shopping carts
Nothing but time to kill
sipping life from bottles
Picture, picture, smile for the picture
(Can't go home alone again)
Pose with your brother, won't you be a good sister?
(Need someone to numb the pain)
Illusions never changed
(Can't go home alone again)
Into something real
(Need someone to numb the pain)
I'm wide awake and I can see
(My happy little pill)
The perfect sky is torn
(Take me away)
You're gone and I've gotta stay high
D-O-L-L-H-O-U-S-E (I'm all out of faith)
I see things that nobody else sees (This is how I feel)
I'm cold and I'm ashamed (Dry my eyes)
Lying naked on the floor (Bring color to my skies)
My sweet little pill (spend my days locked in a haze)
Take my hunger (trying to forget you babe)
I fall back down
Gotta stay high, all my life
Light within,
Numb my skin
The last beat left the whole crowd speechless until they started to clap, and Beca grinned. Her adrenaline was through the roof, and she was buzzing from excitement. She blew a kiss to Chloe fro mthe stage, and she followed the girls offstage as the Trebles took it. Beca didn't want to watch, but she knew that she had to. She swallowed thickly and looked up on stage, noticing Jesse,. Benji, and Chris having mics, while everyone else had a headset (aside from the beatboxers). The music started, and Beca's heart dropped. They were performing a mashup of For the First Time by the Script, Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran, and You and I by One Direction.
When the song was over, Beca was gripping the seat tightly. Chris had stared at her the entire time. Did he still love her? She could feel Chloe's daggers from her spot, and they chilled her to the bone. Chloe had obviously noticed Chris' stare, and she was not happy with it at all. Beca swallowed thickly as she sunk down in her seat, watching as the Trebles left and another group took the stage.
Beca moved her eyes to the ground as the Trebles walked past them. She felt sick. She wanted to leave but she couldn't, not when the Bellas needed her. She placed her hands in her lap and sighed, wanting that night to be over quickly. She wanted to be with Chloe, to feel safe. She chewed on her lip and swallowed thickly, refraining from looking back at the girl she was totally in love with.
This went on for the rest of the performance. Chris would stare at her and Chris would mentally shove daggers into the back of his head. beca was going to go insane. Finally, the last group had gone and the winner was going to be announced. Beca squeezed her eyes shut and she took Stacie's hand in one hand and Cynthia Rose's in the other. This was it- their last chance. Yeah,. they had won in the past, but this was their senior year. If they won this, that was one more accomplishment they had made. It was something big for all of them.
That's why when the Bellas were called as the Champions again, they screamed. They ran on stage to celebrate, but beca was only there for a moment until she looked out into the audience and saw the devilish grin Christopher Loveless had on his face. She could stand up there for a moment more until she ran off stage and quickly towards the nearest restroom. She felt like she was going to be sick again. Even looking at Chris made her stomach churn. Knowing what that man was capable of doing, Beca was terrified.
"Beca?" Beca stiffened, leaning against the bathroom wall. "Beca, it's CR. Unlock the door."
Beca hadn't even realized that she had locked the door. She was shaking, and she carefully unlocked the door, letting her friend into the bathroom. Once Cynthia Rose was in the room, Beca quickly pulled the door closed again.
"What happened out there?" Cynthia Rose asked softly, moving to lean against the stalls.
"He's up to something, CR. He wouldn't be smiling like that if he wasn't." Beca rambled, running her hands along her arms. Sure, she might of been over reacting a little, but Chris scared her now. Knowing that he wasn't afraid to hit a girl, more specifically her, terrified her.
"Beca… Beca calm down. He's not gonna get you, alright? Don't worry about him." Cynthia Rose tried, grabbing Beca's hands to keep her still. "You need to relax."
Beca shook her head as she started to hyperventilate. "No, I can't."
Moments later, there was banging on the door, and a few calls from the other side. One sounded like Scott, and one sounded like Benji. Cynthia Rose was able to move beca from the door long enough for Scott, Benji, and Chloe to come running in.
"Benji, do you know what the hell is going on with Chris?" Cynthia Rose asked, letting Scott and Chloe handle Beca.
Benji looked at her with concern and worry. "he's been talking about a lot of things- who knows what he's up to. He said something about wanting to get someone back, or something? I don't know. I don't pay attention to him most of the time." Benji explained, occasionally glancing over at Beca.
Cynthia Rose started to fume, but she knew better than to feed the fire that was Beca right now. She looked at Beca, wrapped up in Chloe's arms, and looking so vulnerable. She had never seen Beca like this. Beca was always so strong, so hard as a rock with anything that was thrown at her. She knew there had to be something she was missing. Something Beca hadn't told any of the Bellas. The girl looked at the way Beca clung to Chloe, and the look of anger that washed over Scott. Something serious had happened, and she didn't know about it.
"Benji, you can go. We've got it from here." Scott told the older boy kindly, and said boy nodded and walked out. Once Benji had left, Beca's breathing began to even out.
"I'm gonna kill him. I swear to God-" Scott mumbled, going to leave, but CR pushed him back.
"Nobody's going anywhere or killing anybody until I know what even happened. What's going on?" CR asked, crossing her arms as she stood in front of the door.
Chloe looked at Beca, silently asking the girl if she should tell her, when Beca looked up at Cynthia Rose. She sighed softly and squeezed Chloe's hand. "When I was here over winter break, Chloe and I… We kissed." CR smiled. "But at the time, I was dating Chris." Her smile fell. "I tried to tell him what happened, and well.. He got mad." Beca explained, playing with Chloe's hand. "He uh, he-"
"You don't have to say it, Beca. I understand. Hell, if what I think happened, happened, I might let your brother go find that asshole."
Beca smiled sadly as she stood. "You don't have to do that." She laced her fingers with Chloe's. "Let's go claim our prize and celebrate in New York."
CR smiled and followed Beca and Chloe out of the bathroom, and towards their hoard of friends.
Songs used in the Bellas mashup are Torn by Natalie Umbruglia, Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez, Habits by Tove Lo, and Happy Little Pill by Troye Sivan.
The song lyrics used at the beginning is from A Drop in the Ocean by Ron Pope.