A stagnant silence fell over the room as everyone processed what had just happened. Beca could feel herself shaking, though she wasn't sure if it was from anger or fear. She suddenly became acutely aware of the fact that everyone's eyes were on her, only making her heart beat even more erratically. She balled her hands into fists, hoping to conceal the trembling, and turned to face the crowd. Her eyes immediately fell on Chloe, who was still on the ground with Aubrey kneeled next to her. "Are you okay?" Beca's voice sounded foreign to her, as if it were coming from someone else's body.

Chloe nodded and stood up, concern evident from her features. "Are you okay?" She took a step closer to Beca, wanting nothing more than to pull her into a hug.

Beca took a step backward, her eyes darting around the room anxiously. She felt like an animal on display, everyone watching to see what she would do next. It was suffocating, and Beca knew that she needed to get out before she broke down in front of an audience. The old Beca would have just ran, but one look into Chloe's worried eyes convinced Beca that she need to say something first. "Yeah, I just… need some time. To think." Alone. She took another step back, the urge to flee becoming stronger with each second.

Chloe nodded and seemed to understand. "Okay. We're here if you need us." Beca nodded curtly and took that as an invitation to go, turning on her heels and practically jogging out of the auditorium. Chloe sighed sadly, knowing that Beca needed her space but wishing that she could follow her. She took a deep breath to calm herself and ran a hand through her hair, clearly stressed.

"Okay, is anyone going to explain what the hell just happened?" Stacy spoke first, breaking the silence. Chloe and Aubrey exchanged a look, not sure how to answer.

"Um…" Chloe wracked her brain for a way to get around the question, coming up empty.

"Look, it's obvious something happened between Shorty and Movie Buff. Judging by your faces and that fight, I'm guessing it was some serious shit. My question is, who's ass am I kicking? 'Cuz if that Jerk-face hurt our tiny DJ, then I will release the Kraken." Fat Amy began to crack her knuckles, and some of the Bellas nodded in agreement.

"I know someone who can make people disappear." Lilly added quietly, and Aubrey's eyes widened in horror.

"Okay, let's all just take a breath. While I'm sure Beca appreciates your… loyalty… I don't think any of that will be necessary. The best thing we can do right now is give her whatever space she needs and support her if she comes to us. There will be no Kraken or disappearing, understood?" Aubrey looked pointedly at Fat Amy and Lilly, who nodded reluctantly. "Good. Now, I don't know about you guys, but I have lots to do, so I suggest we all go about our day like normal." She watched as the girls slowly resumed packing up, leaving the auditorium in small groups.

Soon, only Stacy remained and she walked up to Chloe, her steps uncertain. "Um, Chloe? I guess Beca was in such a hurry, that she left her bag. I figured you and Aubrey might want it…" Chloe smiled and gratefully took the bag.

"Thanks, Stace. I'll text her that I have it." Stacy didn't make any move to leave and Chloe frowned. "Is something wrong?"

Stacy bit her lip nervously. "I think I know what's going on with Beca."

"You do?" Chloe's eyebrows raised in surprise.

Stacy nodded slowly. "It wasn't that hard to put together, with what Jesse said and how you guys are acting. I don't want to overstep my boundaries or anything. I just wanted to tell you that I've had a friend who's gone through something similar, so I know how hard it can be. If you, Aubrey, or Beca need anything, just, like, let me know, okay?"

"Chlo, if we leave now I can give you a ride home on my way to my internship." Aubrey walked up to the two girls, her own bag slung over her shoulder. Aubrey was curiously looked between Stacy and Chloe, trying to figure out what she had interrupted.

"Um, yeah, that'd be great. Thanks, Stace. I'll let you know." Stacy nodded and left without another word.

"What was that about?" Aubrey asked Chloe.

"I don't know, but I'm starting to get the feeling that these girls have way more secrets than we could have ever predicted." Chloe responded vaguely.


Chloe was happily surprised when she opened the door an hour later to find Beca on her doorstep, an ice pack and a box of Chloe's favorite chocolates in her hands. "I, uh, remember how much punching someone hurts, so I figured you might want some ice…" She held out the ice pack awkwardly. Chloe laughed at the reference of the time Beca had punched one of the Tonehangers and had ended up getting arrested.

"Thanks!" She took the ice pack with her good hand. "And the chocolates?"

"These are a sort-of apology for running out and leaving you to deal with the Bella aftermath. Also, I thought they might make a good snack for when we watch Breakfast At Tiffany's later?" Chloe smiled so brightly that Beca couldn't help but smile herself.

"Oh, get in here, dork!" Chloe pulled Beca inside, excitedly taking the chocolates and opening the box. "Beca, why are like half the chocolates missing?"

"Oh, yeah… I may have eaten a couple on the way here." Beca shrugged nonchalantly as Chloe rolled her eyes. "Hey, it's the thought that counts right?"

Chloe scoffed. "Not when it comes to chocolate. The thought was very sweet though. Thank you." Chloe led Beca to the living room where they sat next to each other on the couch.

"No Aubrey?" Beca questioned, looking around.

"Nope. Just us." Chloe winced as she tried to gently place the ice pack on her already swollen knuckles. Beca watched her sympathetically, and unreadable emotion in her eyes. Sadness, maybe? Chloe couldn't put her finger on it, and that worried her. "How are you, Beca?"

"I'm… okay. I'm sorry that you got involved in this. That wasn't your fight to be a part in, never mind get hurt in."

"Are you mad?" Chloe's heart tightened at the thought that she may have messed up again.

"At you? No. You were just defending me. Thank you for that, by the way."

"I'll always defend you, Beca. That's what friends are for, right?" Chloe tried to make eye contact with Beca, but the brunette was suddenly very interested in the seams of her jacket. "What's goin' on in that pretty head of yours, Becs?" Chloe asked softly.

Beca bit her lip, her body tense from anxiety. "I just… when I saw Jesse push you, I lost it. The thought that he could've hurt you…" Beca trailed off and Chloe swore she saw tears in Beca's eyes.

"Hey…" Chloe gently took Beca's hand with her unharmed one. "I'm right here, Becs. I'm okay." Chloe lightly place a finger under Beca's chin, slowly lifting her face until she was looking into her blue eyes. When their eyes finally met, a tiny gasp escaped Chloe's lips. She had never seen so much raw emotion in the normally guarded girl's eyes. Their faces were only inches apart, and Chloe's gaze fell to Beca's lips, thinking about how easy it would be to kiss them.

It was Beca, however, who moved forward and captured Chloe's lips in one short, sweet kiss. Beca's mind went blissfully blank, thoughts of Jesse erased from her memory. She could only think of the way that Chloe's lips felt against hers, gentle and soft. When they separated, Beca raised her hand to her tingling lips.

"Wow…" She breathed, speechless.

"Wow, indeed." Chloe giggled.

"I… I don't know what that was." Beca said, the realization of what had just happened dawning on her.

"I'm pretty sure that was a kiss, Becs. A damn good one from my perspective." Chloe joked.

"No, that's not what I meant. I don't know what this is, what this means." Beca's voice took on a serious tone and Chloe's followed suit.

"That's okay." She said, although she felt a little part of her die when she thought about Beca backing out after a kiss like that. "We don't have to call this anything. It can just be a kiss, if that's what you want." Or it can be more, she thought wistfully.

Beca nodded, though her heart was telling her that that was not just a kiss. She had kissed Jesse multiple times, but had never felt what she felt with Chloe. "And, if that isn't what I want?" Beca asked hesitantly, unsure if she actually wanted to hear the answer. She was terribly afraid that she had ruined the first true friendship she had ever had.

"What do you want, Beca?" Chloe asked, feeling her heart soar at the fact that Beca didn't dismiss the kiss.

"I… don't know." Beca's brain felt mumbled and she struggled to understand her own feelings. "You deserve a better answer, I know that. But, I honestly don't know right now."

"It's okay; we can cross that bridge when we get to it. Right now, we can just be Beca and Chloe, watching Breakfast at Tiffany's and eating lots of chocolate."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Chloe's smile was infectious, and, despite her internal conflict, Beca found herself smiling too as they settled into the couch in preparation for watching the movie. Chloe didn't remove her hand from Beca's, figuring that Beca would pull away if she wanted to, but the brunette held on. If there was one thing that Beca was certain of, it was that everything felt right with Chloe by her side, and she was never going to let that go.


A/N: Ahhhh how is everyone doing? Writing this chapter made me grin like a total dork, so I hope you all enjoyed it. Keep reviewing! I'm loving the feedback! Thanks for reading! :)