I am so very sorry for the wait. I know I'm terrible. Feel free to read the previous chapter to remember where we left off. Thank you soo much for the follows and the reviews. I really love that you guys love the story and want me to continue. Thank you for your support. This chapter was hard for me to write. We have reached a boiling point and I hope I did it justice.

I don't own pitch perfect.

On with the story!

Chapter 12: Fight, Flight, Fall

The sound of Stacie's ringtone fills the silently awkward SUV…again. She ignores it as she continues to stare out the passenger window with her arms crossed, wondering how long can she put off doing her job. The ringtone stops after a minute and another chime alerting her of a voicemail is heard…again. That was call #5 in 15 minutes, not that the whole car was counting.

Stacie's phone goes off again and Fat Amy is the first to snap, "FOR the love of the dingoes, just answer your phone before I crush it with my sexy ass."

Stacie sighs and shifts in her seat to look at Beca who is uncomfortably sitting in between Chloe (on her left) and Amy (on her right) with her head tilted back. Her arms are crossed, her left knee is bouncing like there is no tomorrow, and her eyes are close. She isn't asleep though. Her breaths are heavy but quick. No she isn't asleep. Beca just didn't want to look at anyone and is focusing her energy in trying to control her anxiety, her discomfort, and her annoyance at everyone in the car. She is annoyed at Stacie because she is responsible for the predicament she is in by blasting her business to the Bellas, to Chloe. She is annoyed at Fat Amy for probably over exaggerating the situation. She is annoyed at Aubrey for showing up looking to control her, fix her, and probably kill her (at least that is what Beca is assuming). She is annoyed at Chloe for coming back into her life to dangle Mr. Perfect and friendship in her face and to just judge and fix her like the rest of them (again, that's what Beca is assuming). AND for…those damn blue eyes that got her in the SUV in the first place.

Stacie clenches her jaw to control her tone. She is still very mad at the DJ for getting on that motorcycle. "We should put out a statement about your reckless stunt before it gets out of control."

Without opening her eyes, Beca responds, "He deserved it."

"Who was he, what did he do, give me something to work with."

Beca sighs, "it was Eddie, again."

"Are you kidding me? He's still harassing you over Alice?"

Still without opening her eyes and a tone conveying how bored she was of this conversation, Beca lets out a short, "Yup."

"Beca, but why did you hit him? IN FRONT of cameras."

"He deserved it."

Stacie takes a deep breath. This approach isn't working. Stacie starts to move to place a hand on Beca's bouncing knee but stops when Chloe beats her to it. Feeling a pressure on her knee, Beca opens her eyes, expecting the hand to belong to Stacie and is slightly surprised to see that it was Chloe's hand. Her knee stills as it begins to warm under her touch.

Chloe's eyes meet Beca's. "I'm sure he deserved it, but violence is never the answer."

Stacie and Beca both resist the urge to roll their eyes to Chloe's innocent statement. Beca carefully grabs Chloe's wrist like it was on fire and returns it to Chloe's knee before speaking, "Trust me, he deserved it."

Aubrey hits the steering wheel, fed up with the vague responses Beca was giving, and speaks up, "Beca, quit being so vague and give Stacie something to work with so she can do her job before she loses phone service."

The rest of the car scrunches their face in confusion. Beca quickly asks, "Why would she lose service?"

Aubrey smirks while she keeps her eyes on the road, "Help Stacie help clean up your mess and then I'll answer your question."

Beca rolls her eyes but compiles, "He said I hurt every girl I meet. I enjoy it. I would ruin Taylor and that she is one of my sluts. Well he tried calling Tay a slut, that's when I shut him up. Now why would Stacie lose service?"

Chloe lets out a little "Oh." Stacie smiles and turns back into her seat, "I can work with that. DJ defends Taylor's honor. The duo become good friends as they work together for Taylor's next single…"-Stacie turns back to face Beca—"You two are just friends right?"

Beca's jaw tightens, "I keep MY promises." The taller brunette frowns at Beca's harshness, reminding her that they were far from okay, and turns back around to focus on making a couple of phone calls. Phone calls first, reconcile their friendship after.

Fat Amy puts her hand up towards Beca, "High five for being a knight in shiny armor." Beca rolls her eyes and ignores Amy's offered hand. The short blonde does not put her rejected hand down. Instead she slowly starts inching it towards Beca's face, making it impossible for the DJ to ignore her. Beca caves and places a weak high five against Amy's hand. Amy smiles and puts her hand down, "That was weaker than a stream of dingo piss but I'll take it."

How Beca is going to survive the forced Bella bonding time, she does not know and Aubrey has yet to answer Beca's question. "Aubrey, where are we going?"

Aubrey smiles with a little mischievous glint in her eyes, "Hiking! This way we can get in touch with nature and with ourselves." Chloe claps her hands excitedly as the other three women groan in protest.

"Oh come on guys, it will be soo much fun. I did a lot of hiking with my students in Costa Rica and we always had a blast."

Beca closes her eyes again as her knee begins to bounce.

Someone kill me now.

Xxxxxx

Oh god, I was kidding about the killing me thing…Beca thought as she watches a stranger with a body harness jump off the bridge they are walking towards. The girl's echoing scream fills the canyon and making Beca's toes curl. Oh hell no.

After an awkward car ride and after an awkward two hour hike, the group found themselves at a random old bridge in the middle of nowhere. This old concrete bridge literally led to nowhere. Instead of the faded rocky street continuing at the other side of the bridge, the bridge abruptly stops at a side of a hill. It never was blown or dug away to continue the street. The project was long since forgotten. The bridge literally was in the middle of nowhere, going nowhere.

"Oh hell yeah!" Amy yells in excitement, "I use to bungee jump all the time back home! Captain Aub, I will follow you off a bridge."

Aubrey smiles, "I appreciate that Amy."

Chloe claps excitedly, "This is on my bucket list!"

Beca and Stacie unnoticeably fall a couple steps behind the group as they approached the bridge, both clearly not sharing the same excitement. They may not be on good terms and awkwardly stayed away from each other on the hike up, but the duo couldn't help but drift towards each other for support as they look upon their friends has if they have lost their minds...Because to them, they have officially lost their minds.

Without looking away from their friends, Stacie cautiously whispers to Beca, "I had no idea. I promise... Is it too late to turn back?"

Beca clenches her jaw but whispers back, "I hope you know this is all your fault."

Stacie sighs and places a hand on the DJ's shoulder, stopping their walk. The taller brunette just can't take anymore of this angry tension between them. They have been through too much to go out like this.

"Beca, stop."

Beca looks at her friend, her face stoic but waits to hear what she has to say.

Stacie pleads; hoping honesty will get through the wall Beca has built against her. "I love you Beca. And I can't stand you being mad at me. I know you feel like I betrayed you, but it's Chloe. It's just... Chloe. She's back. Those three Bellas are here for you. We all love you. Just trust that I'm always on Team Beca. No matter what those crazy idiots we call friends do. Okay?"

Beca sighs and runs her hand through her hair. It IS taking a lot of energy to stay mad at Stacie, especially on top of her out of control anxiety that she has been silently dealing with since the studio. How she hasn't exploded on her friends is a miracle in itself. The last thing she wants to do is burn bridges with her Bella sisters for annoyingly caring for her. As annoying as they are right now, a small part of her can appreciate it. Even though she isn't an addict, but try telling them that.

Beca's face softens slightly as she looks away, not wanting to cave too easily, "Okay. I guess... I'm sorry about the whole motorcycle thing. We were ambushed. I didn't mean to scare you."

Stacie nods, "So is it still us against the world?"

Beca nods, "Yeah". Beca looks back at Stacie, "Of course."

They both share a gentle smile to each other. Suddenly, Fat Amy loudly clears her throat to get their attention, interrupting the peaceful moment.

"And what the hell are we, croc livers? Why aren't we included?"

And just like that Beca's uncontrollable and irrational annoyance and anxiety is back. The pause instantly missed as her attention is brought to her friends, their location, and the insane idea of bungee jumping.

Aubrey crosses her arms, "Yeah, I know I'm offended."

Chloe steps forward, trying to curb the hostility, "What they are trying to say is, we are with you too Beca. Bellas stick together, for life. No matter what."

Amy steps forward, alongside Chloe, "Just cus you all rich and famous don't change crap, you're still our short stack."

Aubrey steps up and stands next to Chloe, "And you may infuriate me 93% of the time. But we are Bellas and that bond is for life. So just deal with it and jump off this bridge with us."

Beca bites the inside of her cheek unsure whether she wants to smile or sneer at the sentiments. She really needs to get her emotions under control. What she can decide and focus on is her negative feelings to the whole bungee jumping idea. Unfortunately, it comes out with a bitchy tone.

"I'm not jumping."

Stacie tags along, "if she doesn't jump, I'm not jumping."

Even though, Stacie is suppose to encourage Beca to participate in whatever plan the Bellas cooked up, it would be quite hypocritical to convince Beca to jump and not jump herself. Stacie doesn't want to jump, she's actually afraid of heights. Maybe not deathly afraid but you will never find her standing near the edge of a rooftop party.

Aubrey crosses her arms, challengingly, and with a mocking tone "Aw is little Beca afraid of a little fall?" The blonde hoping teasing the small brunette will help.

Beca raises her eyebrow, "That is not a little fall."

Before Aubrey could reply, Chloe cuts in, turning on her puppy eyes, "Becs, I'm scared too but this is really on my bucket list and I really really reallyyyy want to do it even though I'm scared...but"-she innocently bites her lip- "Imma need everyone's help to build up my courage. Imma need your help… Please?"

Beca looks up and away from Chloe's pleading eyes. It's those damn eyes that got her in this predicament in the first place. Chloe sees what Beca is doing and steps into Beca's personal space. Beca immediately steps back as she continues to look at the pretty, interesting trees near them. Chloe steps again. Beca attempts to step back but is immediately stopped by a body behind her. Beca glances behind her to see Fat Amy with an evil smile as she grabs Beca's face to face Chloe. With two small but powerful hands on either side of her face, Beca couldn't help but not look into Chloe's eyes who stepped once again in her personal space so all Beca can see is her face.

Beca suddenly feels like she is suffocating with a body in front of her, behind her and the inability to move her head, this position jacking up her already insanely high nerves. Beca unconsciously holds her breath as her body tenses, fists clenching and unclenching as she looking into Chloe's eyes.

Chloe adds, "Please? For me?"

Beca quickly nods, not liking what her body and emotions are doing and hoping/praying agreeing will get her out of the physical situation she was in. Beca reaches her right hand out towards Stacie's general direction hoping Stacie can help. Stacie who has been cautiously watching the whole interaction and could obviously see Beca's discomfort, quickly grabs Beca's outreached hand and tugs her towards her, effectively pulling her out of the sandwich and into the open space behind her.

"Okayyyy, I guess we are jumping to our deaths. Shall we get started?" Stacie questions, drawing attention to her and away from Beca.

Behind her, Beca turns away from her friends to close her eyes and tries to focus on her breathing...Fuck, don't lash out, don't lash out, don't lash out.

Chloe eyes Beca with concern before turning attention to Aubrey who responds with excitement to Stacie, "Yay, this will be unforgettably and an enlightening experience for us. Lets meet Carlos, the jump instructor."

Aubrey and Amy head to the man by a metal contraption in the middle of the bridge as he pulls up the girl that just jumped.

Unable to take her eyes off Beca, Chloe softly asks, "Becs? You okay?"

Beca turns around and stoically nods, "Yup, I'll catch up."

Chloe slowly nods, not believing her. Chloe looks at Stacie for answers. Stacie nods, "She'll catch up."

Stacie puts an arm over Chloe's shoulder, leading her towards the rest of the group, effectively giving Beca the space she desperately needed.

Beca takes a couple more deep breaths. Where's weed when you need it? Oh right, it's at Alice's. No..no.. I don't need anything. Just focus on the bellas jumping. Of me, jumping. Falling. Falling to my death.

Beca's breathing quicken again. Fuck that didn't help. Beca's hands start twitching as she starts to lose control. Two different but soft hands slides into both Beca's twitching hands. Beca looks to her left and right and sees Chloe on her left, and Stacie on her right both giving her reassuring smiles. The twitch in her hands disappear as she gives both girls a gentle squeeze before taking her hands back.

"Well, let's get this over with." Beca quickly turns and heads to the middle of the bridge. Both women watch her leave.

Chloe looks to Stacie, "Am I pushing too hard?"

Stacie raises her eyebrow to Chloe, "When did you start worrying about pushing boundaries?" Maybe Aubrey is on to something.

Chloe shakes her head, "Nevermind, let's do this." She puts on a smile and heads to the group. Stacie's eyes follow her as she walks away. I've got a less confident Chloe, a sober emo wreck Beca, an oblivious hot dictator, and an overzealous weird Australian sidekick….Awesome.

xxx

Oh gods….Why am I doing this? Beca looks down in between her feet to the river 100 feet below her. Her hands are gripping tightly to the railing and her feet glued to the edge on the extended ledge.

"So what do you wish for?"

Beca looks up from the ground to Aubrey. Oh yeah that stupid question. To add to the activity, because this activity needed more, Aubrey wanted all the Bellas to answer the question 'What do you wish for?' before jumping.

30 minutes earlier

Amy volunteers to be the first jumper with an ankle harness. After she is all set up and on the other side of the railing, Aubrey gets a brilliant idea.

"Before we jump, I want all of us to wish for something. It could be big, small, whatever. Just have to answer it honestly."

Beca rolls her eyes. Great it's like the senior retreat with steroids. She traded crawling in the mud to jumping off bridges. Campfire songs to last wishes. Brilliant.

Fat Amy nods and thinks for a moment. "Stacie, record this." Stacie pulls out her phone and starts recording.

"I wish we all be one big aca- family here in sunny California and I wish me and Bumper will have three beautiful aca-children together."

Chloe smiles and nods her head, "That's beautiful Amy."

Amy continues, "And instead of me hiking back, I wish you skinny bitches carry my sexy ass back to the car like if I was the Queen of bloody England."

The group chuckles.

Amy's face turns serious, "I'm being serious."

Aubrey smiles, "Oh we know. Carlos count it down."

Fat Amy carefully turns herself around to face the empty space, making sure her ankle harness doesn't get tangled beneath her (ankle harness is only recommended for experienced jumpers). Her hands are latched on to the railing behind her. Carlos, the middle aged dark skinned man, obediently starts the countdown after Fat Amy is settled. "And 5….4-"

Fat Amy quickly launches herself off the bridge and screams "GERONIMO PITCHEEEEEES!"

The Bellas rush to look over the railing to their falling friend.

Stacie shakes her head as she stops recording, "Nope, I can't do that."

Aubrey claps her hands together, "So who's next?"

Beca looks at the uncertain faces of Stacie and Chloe and answers Aubrey, "Bree, I think it's your turn."

Aubrey presses her lips together and swallows down the instant fear that strikes her. She gives a strong nod and focuses on choking down the sudden nausea. Chloe takes one of her hands and gives it a squeeze, 'You got this Bree. Remember nothing is worse than the fear you had our Junior year at nationals. You'll rock this."

Aubrey squeezes her hand in return and nods. "I really missed you, you know."

Chloe smiles, "I missed you too."

Fat Amy reappears on the ledge with the help of the pulley system and Carlos. With a big smile on her face, Amy throws her fist in the air, "Crushed it." The group gives her a cheer and high fives.

Once the short blonde was safely back on solid ground, Carlos quickly unstraps her and starts connecting Aubrey up to the body harness. Once the taller blonde was ready and on the other side of the railing facing the group, Chloe asks the question, "What do you wish for Aubrey?" Stacie quickly pulls out her phone again, now becoming the unofficial camera girl.

Aubrey slightly bites her lip as she answers honestly, "I wish for love and success."

Carlos starts the countdown, "And 5….4….3…2…1."

Aubrey closes her eyes, leans back and falls backwards screaming as her arms flail outwards catching nothing but air.

Carlos looks to the three remaining girls, "Who's next?"

Chloe bites her lip wanting to go next but found herself being unsure of it all. Beca sighs and decides to suck it up to give Chloe and Stacie more time.

Present time

"What do you wish for Beca?"

Beca bites her lip, trying to focus on the question and not the overwhelming panic running through her entire body. Her knuckles turning white from how hard she was squeezing the railing.

"I wish…I wish…" Beca couldn't focus. She could barely breathe.

Aubrey steps in front of Beca, "What do you wish for Beca? Out with it."

Beca couldn't hold it in, she bites out, "I wish you would get off my ass."

Aubrey smiles, "Not a chance." Aubrey grabs the Dj's hands and forces them off the railing. Beca scrambles to grab a hold of something to keep her balance on the ledge. Aubrey catches her wrists, effectively being Beca's only anchor to the bridge. "Stop fighting us. Stop being difficult and let us in."

Beca has no choice but to cave, "Okay, okay, OKAY! Fuck, You win! Just don't push me off!" Beca's breaths are heavy, eyes full of fear.

Stacie steps in, "Okay Aubrey that is enough." Stacie comes up from behind and grabs Aubrey's wrists. Chloe quickly comes up and helps guide Beca's hands to the railing. Stacie moves Aubrey back and away from her DJ as Chloe moves to stand where Aubrey was. Beca leans forward to get more weight onto the railing. Chloe gently cups Beca's face in her hands and presses her forehead against hers.

"It's okay, just breathe Beca. Breathe." Chloe caresses Beca's cheeks with her thumbs. Beca closes her eyes and tries to focus on her breathing. That was literally the most terrifying moment of her life; to be held on a ledge by Aubrey and to agree to let her friends in.

"I'm sorry…"

Chloe pulls back confused, "For what?"

Beca breathes out, "For being a terrible best friend."

Chloe bites her lip, "Why did you run?"

Beca shrugs, her moment of weakness closing as her mind is flooded with emotions. Drowning in it. Fuck. The absolute fear did overpower the overwhelming anxiety that was shutting her in for the briefest of moments. I wonder if…

Beca's hands let go of the railing and move to slowly push Chloe's hands away from her face. She gives Chloe a small smile as she falls backwards screaming all her anxiety out as she goes through the air, letting it all go.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Hmm way to avoid answering that question lol.

So what do you guys think? Did it justice?

I feel like that was a heavy chapter.

I went bungee jumping before, it was the most terrifying experience of my life...never again. Facing that kind of fear, makes all your other fears seem smaller, easier. It can really free you...hmm is that a hint of what's to come? ;)

Reviews please. It really is the only way I know you're still with me and worth continuing. I promise to not have you wait this long again.