Author's note: Thanks for all the reviews. I'm so glad you guys are enjoying the story. Sorry this took a little longer than I expected for it to get posted. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 13

As the door clicked softly shut, I lay in the dark, hoping my mistress would change her mind and come back. I knew she wouldn't, but I still hoped. I don't know how long I lay there staring at the door, but eventually the hope faded and I rolled onto my side with my back to the door. The cuffs kept my hands securely fastened together and I had a hard time finding a comfortable position. I ended up having to use one of the pillows to wrap my arms around. It smelled faintly of Aubrey and I snuggled into it, finally relaxing enough to fall into a light dozing sleep.

As the light in the room shifted from black, to the faint gray light of dawn around the heavy blackout curtains, I stirred, rolling onto my back with a sigh. My body ached from the position I'd been forced to sleep in. I idly wondered how much longer it would be before my mistress woke up and came to free me. I knew I wasn't going to get any more sleep, even though I could feel my body want to melt from exhaustion. I settled in to wait, letting my thoughts drift to the mix I was working on for Friday's opening. I remembered Aubrey's comment about the walls being soundproofed, and since I was having a difficult time working the transition between the songs, I decided to sing through it. I let my voice fill the room, working through the mix as I stared at the ceiling. I became so engrossed in the music that I didn't hear the door open.

I saw movement from the corner of my eye and the song died on a shriek as I curled onto my side, trying to protect myself in my vulnerable state. "Shh, love. It's just me," Aubrey said softly.

Her soothing voice caused me to relax slightly, and I looked at her, asking, "Mistress?"

"Yes, Beca. I'm here," she said, smiling softly down at me as she moved sit on the bed.

Tears pricked at my eyes, when she gently stroked my side. "I missed you," I said thickly.

"I missed you too, love," She said, leaning down to place a tender kiss on my lips.

When she broke the kiss, she unbuckled the cuffs, releasing my wrists. I let out a relieved groan as the strain in my shoulders finally eased. I sat up and stretched out my back and arms. Aubrey adjusted some pillows behind her back and leaned against the headboard watching me. When I was done with my stretching, she tentatively asked, "Will you let me hold you?"

I instantly shifted so I could rest my head on her shoulder and curl my body around hers. "Of course, Mistress. I'm yours to do with as you please," I said, and she wrapped her arms around me.

"Thank you, my pet," my mistress replied, her voice sounding as exhausted as I felt.

I shifted so I could see her face. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her eyes were weary. I knew she hadn't gotten much sleep either and I smiled before quickly asking, "May I kiss you, Mistress?" I didn't want to make her mad this morning by teasing her about her own lack of sleep.

"Yes," was all she said as she smiled tiredly down at me.

I kissed her softly but thoroughly before cuddling back into her. I closed my eyes and fell asleep, completely content in the safety of her arms.

Soft laughter woke me sometime later. I opened my eyes and saw the startled look in my mistress' face and the tension in her body. I followed her line of sight and saw Chloe leaning against the doorframe, still laughing. I was confused, what was so funny?

"What're you laughing at, Chloe?" Aubrey asked, and I almost wondered if she could read my mind.

Chloe only laughed harder and made a vague gesture around the room. I sat up, trying to see what she was referring to. Heat rose to my cheeks when I noticed the various sex toys and bondage gear scattered around the bed. We hadn't cleaned them up before going to bed last night. Aubrey had also sat up, but instead of getting embarrassed, she was glaring at Chloe. When Chloe still didn't stop laughing, she got out of bed, tossed me the robe from last night and crossed to the redhead, completely unself-conscious in her nudity. I could tell by the set of her shoulders that my mistress was giving the other girl her best domme look.

Chloe's laughter died in her throat under the weight of that look, and she shifted, dropping her gaze. "Sorry, Bre. I was getting hungry and wanted to see if you guys wanted to go get bagels or something."

I smiled at seeing Chloe's unconscious submission to Aubrey's authority. I got out of the bed, pulling on my robe as I crossed to the room to wrap my arms around Aubrey's waist leaning into her side. She shifted her arm to let me slip under it. I grinned up at her and she smirked, knowing I had moved to her to stake my claim. She turned her gaze back to her guest. "You had no right to walk into this room without permission Chloe. Why didn't you knock?"

"I did, but you guys didn't answer," She said softly.

"Then you should have waited," my mistress said, not giving an inch.

"I know, but you guys were so adorable curled around one another, and I just couldn't help myself. But then I saw those toys and things on the floor and it struck me as funny that you couldn't even keep it in your pants for a day. That's when you woke up," Chloe explained, still not meeting Aubrey's gaze.

I smirked at her, but knew better than to say anything while my mistress was riding this emotion. Aubrey ran a possessive hand down my side, pressing me even closer to her and she snarled, "What I did with my pet last night is none of your business, Chloe."

Chloe sucked in a sharp gasp, her eyes flying up to meet Aubrey's possessive ones. Her eyes widened as she stared into them, and I knew what she was seeing in those stunning green eyes. I did the only thing I could think of and I let out a sensual moan, turning to press my chest into my mistress' side, knowing she'd be able to feel through the thin robe how hard my nipples had become at her possessiveness.

Both older women turned to me, but I ignored Chloe's gaze as I met my mistress' eyes. I let my desire for her fill my own navy gaze. Her lips curled into a possessive smirk as the hand that wasn't pressing me against her came up and fingered my collar. Heat rushed to my core and I let out a whimper. Her smirk deepened and I saw my opening. I huskily said, "I love when you get possessive, Mistress, but you did give Chloe permission to watch, so she wasn't really out of line by coming in here." Her eyes narrowed dangerously, as she used the collar to pull me onto my toes, so that my face was only an inch from hers. I couldn't have stopped the whimper that fell from my lips if I had wanted to.

"That isn't the point, Beca," my mistress snarled.

"Then what is the point, Bre?" Chloe asked from behind me, making me jerk slightly in my mistress' grip, having momentarily forgotten her presence.

Aubrey's green eyes left mine to look at Chloe. "The point is that you came in here and laughed at what you saw."

Chloe sighed. "I'm sorry, Bre. I wasn't laughing at you, or your relationship. Honestly, I wasn't. I was laughing at the stuff on the floor."

My mistress relaxed slightly. She released my collar and I shifted to let my heels hit the floor, but her grip on me kept me plastered to her side. "Alright, Chloe, but in the future, please don't come in here without warning. You may see more than you're ready to see."

"I won't. I'm sorry."

"It's ok. If you give us a chance to get dressed, we can go get breakfast," Aubrey offered.

Chloe immediately brightened. "Great. I'll um, I'll wait in the living room."

Aubrey smiled, "Thank you."

Chloe nodded and left the room. My mistress reached out and swung the door shut, still not releasing me. When she turned her eyes on me, I shuddered at seeing the full weight of her predatory possessiveness. Moisture instantly pooled between my thighs. She curled her fingers through the D-ring of my collar and used it to spin me and push my back against the door. She held me there with her hand on my collar and used her free hand to slam two fingers into my slick core. I whimpered, offering no resistance to the onslaught, my channel open and eager for her long fingers. Her lips claimed my mouth, roughly thrusting her tongue into me even as her fingers plunged into me. I moaned and my mistress trailed kisses down my throat. The hand on my collar slid down my chest and found one erect nipple, pinching it hard as her teeth closed over my collarbone. I screamed out, "I'm yours, Bella," as I flooded her hand with my release. Her fingers continued to work in me until the last shudder passed.

Then she pulled them out, licking her fingers clean before saying, "Yes, you are my pet."

"Thank you, Mistress," I said smiling up at her.

"You're welcome, love," she said before opening the door and leading me to her bedroom. Aubrey moved to pull out a shirt, tank top, and jeans from the stash of my clothes that had gradually found their way into her closet over the previous month. I let her pick my outfit, knowing it was just another way that she expressed her dominance. I didn't mind, they were all clothes I had bought for myself. Once I was pulling on my underwear, she turned back to the closet to pick out her own clothes.

When we were dressed and ready to go, we collected Chloe from the living room. On our way to the garage, my mistress stopped me next to the small table in the foyer. She unbuckled my collar and laid it gently on the table. I could feel Chloe's eyes watching me as I sighed, and accepted the weight of my stress and responsibilities. I met her eyes with my trademark smirk. She just offered me a smile, but didn't comment until we were in the car.

"You know, I still don't really get it, but I have to admit that what you guys have is kinda amazing," Chloe said, and I could hear the honesty in her voice.

"Thanks, Chloe," I said grinning.

Aubrey looked over and smiled at her, "I think it's pretty amazing too, Chloe."

Chloe studied her for a long time before she said, "I don't think I've ever seen you this happy, Bre. I mean, not even when we won the ICCAs."

Aubrey glanced up to meet my eyes in the rearview mirror. I met her loving gaze for a moment before she returned her attention to the road. She said simply, "I know. Beca makes me happy."

I smiled, and Chloe turned around in her seat to look at me. "You know, Becs, when Aubrey first told me that you guys had gone out on a date, I never thought it would work out. I never thought you'd turn into such a pushover after college," She said, her voice teasing.

I glowered at her. "I'm not a pushover."

She laughed, "Oh come on, Becs. Aubrey just has to give you that look and you turn into putty. It's kinda adorable."

I gritted my teeth. I knew she was just giving me a hard time, but it was still hard not to let my temper get the best of me. I glanced over and caught Aubrey looking at me in the mirror again. Her eyes showed her concern. My anger faded and I gave her an almost imperceptible headshake to tell her that I could handle this. I looked back to Chloe and smirked, "I'm not the only one."

Chloe's eyes showed confusion as she asked, "What do you mean?"

"I saw how you reacted to her domme persona this morning," I teased.

A slight blush touched her cheeks. "I—uh…" she managed to say before faltering, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

I reached out and squeezed her arm. "It's ok, you know. I get it. It's hard to resist, isn't it?" I asked, kindly. I noticed Aubrey shooting worried glances our way, but I hoped she would keep quiet so we wouldn't spook Chloe, and cause another fight.

"Yeah, it's weird. I've never backed down from her like that before." Chloe replied, pleading for me to help her understand.

I offered a small smile, and gently said, "It's her domme persona. It's different than the 'in-charge Aubrey' that ran the Bellas. I think that's part of the reason it feels so natural for me to submit to her, but not anyone else."

"Really? Have you tried?" Chloe asked, honestly curious.

I chuckled, "Not exactly. But Bre and I were out shopping in some specialty stores a few weeks ago, and I was wearing the collar. She wandered off with the sales clerk, but I hung back and this really butch domme came on to me. She tried to make me kneel to her." I paused, noticing that my story held both women rapt with interest. Aubrey and I had both wanted to put the incident behind us and neither of us had brought it up after that day. When other people brought it up, Aubrey always responded to them, so she hadn't ever really heard all of my side of the story, beyond the basic details. I carefully continued, not sure exactly how Aubrey would react. "There was a small part of me that did want to kneel before her. It's the part that first drew me to this sort of lifestyle. But I just couldn't submit to the woman, because she wasn't Aubrey."

Chloe smiled," What happened then?"

I glanced over to meet Aubrey's eyes in the mirror and smiled, "The butch got really mad and tried to force me to submit." I looked back to Chloe, still smiling at the memory. "But Bre came back and got pissed when she saw the other domme's hand on me. They exchanged insults, but when the butch called Aubrey a bitch, I lost it and punched her," I finished proudly.

Chloe laughed. "That's awesome."

"I still wish you hadn't hit her, Beca," Aubrey said with a sigh from the driver's seat.

I rolled my eyes, "Oh come on, Bre. We both know that if I hadn't hit her, the Fischer's party wouldn't be the most anticipated event of the year. Word is getting around, everyone's dying to see us at that party."

Chloe turned to Aubrey, "What's she talking about?"

Aubrey sighed. "Because Beca hit another domme in a store that caters to BDSM clients, I had to punish her publicly. Beca's response to the punishment has caused a lot of buzz within the community. We plan to share that at the Fischer's party," Her answer was just vague enough to pique Chloe's curiosity further.

Crystal blue eyes turned back to pin me in place. "What'd you do?"

I shrugged, "I submitted to the punishment." I could be deliberately vague too.

"What the Hell does that mean?" Chloe asked, starting to get frustrated with us.

I looked out the window, willing Aubrey to explain, because I had a really hard time finding the right words to explain what I felt when the trance fell over me. Aubrey sighed, "When Beca goes deep into submission, she falls into a trance-like state. It's not unheard of in the community, but it's very rare. You saw it briefly last night."

"Oh," Chloe said, finally sitting forward while she thought through what we had said. Silence fell over the car, as neither Aubrey nor I was willing to disrupt Chloe's thoughts. Finally, as Aubrey was parking the car, Chloe turned back to me, "So, you like really like the submissive thing? You don't just go along with it for Bre's sake?"

I chuckled. I'd expected her to ask that yesterday. "No, Chloe. I want it. Some part of me craves submitting to Aubrey," I said honestly.

She studied me for a long time before smiling. "That's—that's cool," she announced, and just like that, Chloe stopped questioning our relationship, and stopped giving Aubrey a hard time about her job. It was kind of strange, like some switch had been flipped in her mind, but I didn't question it. It's not like the last month of my life could fall under most people's definition of normal. But with Chloe's announcement, an underlying tension vanished. I hadn't even realized that it had been present since her arrival the previous day. We just all finally relaxed, and let ourselves enjoy each other's company. Even when we got back to Aubrey's house that evening, Chloe didn't tense up when I put the collar back on. Instead she watched my shift to submissive with a look of awe in her eyes, murmured, "I'll never get used to that," and walked away.

My mistress just watched Chloe's reaction before turning to me and saying, "Thank you." Then she pulled me in for a happy kiss before we went in search of the redhead.

I went home the next morning. I had to prep for the grand opening that night, and I figured Chloe and Aubrey could use some time alone. Everyone was going to come over later to get ready before heading to the club. I was a little nervous about having Jesse and Aubrey in the same room. I'd been meaning to get the two of them to hang out, but the last month had been so busy that we hadn't been able to find the time. I tried not to dwell on it as I loaded my mixing program. Soon, I was lost in the music, all worries temporarily forgotten. It wasn't until I received a text from Aubrey saying that she and Chloe were bringing me dinner and would be over soon, that I realized how much time had passed, and that I'd forgotten to eat lunch again. I still had one last mix to finish before tonight, so I sent her a quick reply and got back to work.

When I heard Aubrey's key in the door, I was just saving the file. I got up from my desk to greet them. "Hey you guys have great timing. I just finished," I said after giving my girlfriend a quick kiss.

Aubrey studied me for a moment then sighed. "You forgot to eat lunch again, didn't you?"

I ducked my head and muttered, "Yeah, I'm sorry I got lost in it."

Chloe chuckled, moving to place several take out containers on the small kitchen table. "That's ok, Becs. We brought you pasta. I figured you could use the carbs before tonight."

I smiled at her and said, "Thanks, Chloe."

Aubrey let out a huff, "You need to eat, Beca."

I turned back to her. "I know. I didn't mean to forget to eat, Bre."

"I know. I just worry about you," she said, wrapping her arms around me.

I leaned into her embrace, breathing in her scent. "I know, love."

The sound of Chloe opening the various containers of food, made us pull apart. We shared a smile before joining the redhead at the table. "So, what did you guys do today?" I asked, pulling my penne towards me.

Chloe grinned, "Bre took me to the Hollywood Walk of Fame."

I chuckled, "Nice."

Chloe pouted, "It was cool."

"I know, I totally went there my first week in LA. I was just giving you a hard time. What else did you guys do?" I asked.

"Mostly we just hung out. You know, catching up." Chloe said, turning her attention to her pasta.

Before we were done eating, a knock sounded at the door. I went to answer it, and saw Stacie, dressed to kill. I grinned, and said, "Hey Stacie! You look great. Come on in."

"Hey, Becs," she said, giving me a kiss on the cheek as she came into my apartment, glancing around to take everything in.

Chloe squealed and raced across the room to greet the younger girl. They hugged, jumping up and down. I smiled, watching the reunion. Aubrey joined us by the door, hugging Stacie. We moved back over to the table with Stacie taking the last empty seat.

"Can I get you anything?" I asked the other brunette.

"Sure a glass of wine would be great," she said grinning at me.

I was about to jump up and grab it, when Aubrey placed a hand on my arm stopping me, "Eat, Beca. I'll get it for her."

I smiled, "Thanks, Bre."

Stacie watched us with a smirk. When Aubrey came back with the wine, she said, "Thanks, Bre. This is an unexpected change from the last time I saw you."

Aubrey shot her a glare, but Chloe spoke up before she could reply. "What do you mean?"

Stacie hesitated; obviously unsure of how much Chloe knew about mine and Aubrey's relationship. I answered, "The last time Stacie saw us, Aubrey was in full domme mode and I was following her on a leash."

Chloe looked at me, her mouth hanging open and I knew she was trying to picture it. I turned to smirk at Stacie and said, "I'm not collared tonight."

She laughed. "I can see that. It's just funny to see the great Bella serving her sub."

With a thud, Aubrey set the wine bottle heavily on the table. I bit my lip, knowing what Stacie's taunt had done to her. I didn't say anything, willing to let Aubrey exert the dominance I knew had swamped her. Instead, she took a deep breath, and said in a surprisingly calm voice, "Stacie, I'm taking care of my girlfriend. She forgot to eat lunch and needs to eat."

Stacie turned to me, her eyes showing her own inner domme rising to the surface. "Beca, you should take better care of yourself."

I met her gaze levelly, not showing the least bit of subservience to Stacie. "I know. It wasn't intentional. Besides, my mistress has already had this discussion with me," I said coldly.

Aubrey was next to me in an instant, her fingers curling possessively around the back of my neck. "Back off, Stacie," she said.

Chloe, who wasn't unaware of the power play going on between the two dommes said, "Um, guys. You do realize that whatever this is, it's preventing Beca from actually eating, right?"

They looked away and muttered apologies to me. Aubrey sat back down and I started to eat again. After a minute of silence, Stacie turned to Chloe and said, "So, they did get up the courage to tell you about their kinkier side. I wondered if they would."

Chloe glanced over at Aubrey and me and smirked. I blushed realizing that she was imagining the staged punishment she'd witnessed. She let me squirm for a moment before turning back to Stacie and saying, "Yeah, I didn't really take it that well. But, you just have to look at them to see how happy they are."

Stacie raised an eyebrow at me and I could see the questions spinning in her mind. I decided my pasta was very interested and refused to meet her eye. "Yeah, I know what you mean. What they have is really special, I wish I could find something like that," Stacie said, her voice almost wistful.

Aubrey reached over and ran a possessive hand down my back, and I smiled at her. "Sorry ladies, but Beca's all mine," she said, proudly. I rolled my eyes and we all laughed.

Another knock sounded at the door. "That must be Jesse," I said, starting to get up. This time Chloe stopped me.

"I'll get it, Becs. I don't want you to start another dominance battle," she said brightly, already moving to answer the door.

I laughed, "Thanks, Chloe."

Jesse was dressed in jeans, a t-shirt and a blazer. He grinned at us and said, "Hey guys."

We all greeted him, and I pushed away my empty pasta container. "Ok, so now that everyone's here. I have to tell you a couple of things about tonight." They all settled in, Chloe and Jesse leaning against the back of the couch facing me, with Stacie and Aubrey still seated at the table. When I had their attention, I continued. "So, you guys will have access to both the main dance floor and bar as well as the VIP room. There are a lot of celebrities who are supposed to be in attendance. I've been asked to tell you not to approach them for autographs or pictures. The label has hired a photographer that will be circulating tonight. Next week, I'll be able to go through the photos and get copies of any I want. So, I'll get you guys copies of any photos of you. Also, we're previewing Danny's new album at midnight. If you see him before then, please just give him room, unless he approaches you. He has met Bre, so after he plays one of his new songs, she can introduce you to him. I'll be spinning until 4am, so if you want to leave before that, feel free. I won't have my feelings hurt. Lastly, as a personal flavor, try not to get completely plastered. There will be champagne circulating the VIP room, try not to overindulge. Ok, that's it. Do you guys have any questions for me?"

Aubrey spoke up, "Will we get to see you at all?"

I smiled, "Yeah, I'll get a couple of breaks."

She returned the smile, "Good, cause I want at least one dance with you tonight."

"That can be arranged."

"So, what's his new album like?" Jesse asked.

"Sorry, dude, I can't tell you. You're gonna have to wait until midnight."

He sighed, "Fine."

I grinned, then turned to Stacie, "Hey, do you mind keeping Jesse company while the rest of us get ready?"

"Not at all," she replied, her eye gleaming.

I rolled my eyes, "Behave yourself, hunter."

She laughed and went over to Jesse, pulling him onto the couch.

I chuckled and moved to my closet to pull out the clothes I'd purchased for that night. I'd decided on a leather vest like the one I'd worn to Marcus' party, but this one was a navy blue that matched my eyes, and a pair of artistically ripped jeans. When I was dressed, I turned around and saw Aubrey watching me with the familiar possessively hungry look in her eyes. I knew she recognized the vest. I grinned and moved over to lean into her. I pulled her down into a hard demanding kiss. I broke the kiss first, shifting so I could whisper in her ear. "I'll wear this again for you another night when I wear your collar. I'm yours, but tonight you have to share me with my job."

She sucked in a sharp breath and pulled back so she could look into my eyes. "I know, I'm sorry."

"It's ok, Bre. I picked this out for you. I wanted you to have a reminder of the first night when I gave myself to you." She nodded her understanding and I moved over to my dresser to grab the finishing touch on my outfit. I brought the necklace back to Aubrey, "Will you tie this on?"

"Sure," she said taking the necklace. She glanced down at it and smiled. The necklace was a thin leather cord with small silver beads at either end. It was long enough to loop around my neck twice before being tied off, so the ends dangled down my chest. It wasn't a collar, but it was reminiscent of one. After tying it into place, Aubrey leaned down to kiss me before saying, "Thank you, love."

I smiled, "You're welcome. I knew you'd need this, Bre. I will be the center of a lot of attention tonight, so I wanted to remind you that no matter what, I belong to you."

"I love you," she said giving me a look that was a combination of appreciation, love, and wonder.

"I love you too," I said smiling at her.

When I turned to finish getting ready, I caught Chloe watching us with a huge grin on her face. I smiled at her and headed for the bathroom. She intercepted me and said in a low voice. "That was exactly what she needed."

"I know," I said just as softly.

"I'm really glad you guys found each other. I never would have expected it, but you guys are really perfect together," she said honestly.

I chuckled, "I know. It's kinda amazing."

"Yeah, totes," she said earnestly.

We decided to take two cars, since I had to be at the club before everyone else. They all wished me luck, and I promised I would find them as soon as I got a break from the booth. Aubrey walked me to my car. "You're going to be great tonight, Beca," she said with complete confidence.

"Thanks, Bre," I said nervously. "I know once I get started, I'll be alright, but I am definitely feeling the nerves right now.

"I know, honey. But I know you can do it. And I'll be there fully supporting you," she replied, wrapping me into a tight embrace.

I leaned into her, breathing in her scent and I relaxed. She was right. I could do this. It's what I'd always dreamed of. I pulled her in for a soft kiss. "I'll see you later," I said, opening my car door and sliding in.

"I'll see you soon, Beca," she said, shutting the door and giving me one last encouraging smile before I drove away.

When I arrived at the club, the staff was hustling around to make sure everything was set up just perfectly. Marcus stood in the middle of the lower dance floor, directing the chaos around him. I carefully picked my way across the dance floor to him. He had his back to me, so I said, "Hey, Marcus."

He spun around and I could see faint stress lines crease his cheeks. When he saw me, a grin broke out across his face. "Beca, you made it." I smiled when his gaze tracked down my body to take in my outfit. His eyebrow raised in question as he looked back into my eyes. "You look nice, did Ms. Posen help you pick out the outfit?"

I laughed, "No, this was all me. But I thought it might help remind her that despite any attention I received tonight, I would be going home with her," I explained.

He chuckled, "An excellent idea." He turned gesturing to the small stage on one side of the dance floor, near the DJ booth. "So, that is where Danny will be performing his new song at midnight. You'll introduce him, then he'll sing, and then you'll preview one of the other tracks. After that can you transition into your own mixes."

I nodded, "Sure I can do that. I made some mixes for the first part of the night that are more in the genre of Danny's new album, so the crowd will be primed for his debut."

He nodded and said, "Sounds great. I knew you were the right DJ for the job. So, once you get set up, will you do a quick sound check with the mic Danny'll use?"

"Sure," I replied.

"Great, you've got 25 minutes before we open the doors," he said, turning back to the rest of the club's staff."

"Thanks," I said to his back before heading up to the booth. I quickly set up my computer and did a quick check on my mic in the booth. Then I grabbed the wireless mic for Danny, loaded up the music track for his song and made my way down to the stage. As the background track started, I noticed a few heads turn my way, but I ignored them. I got down to the stage just as the first chorus of the song would play, and I sang thru the chorus, listening to the balance around the club. I wasn't paying attention to anyone else as I did the sound check, so I was startled when applause rang out when I stopped singing. I looked around and saw everyone had stopped what they were doing and were now looking at me. I offered a small smile and waved at them before heading back up to the safety of the booth.

Once there, I glanced around and saw that most everyone had gone back to work, but I caught Marcus watching me predatorily. I raised an eyebrow at him and he grinned, making his way up to the booth. I watched him warily. He noticed and waved my concern away, saying, "You know, if you decide to record an album of your own, after the reaction you just got, I know I can find a market for your talents."

I relaxed, realizing that his look had been about business and not about ownership, but the idea of recording my own album made a different kind of nerves dance along my skin. "I don't know. The life of a musician has never appealed to me, I'd honestly rather stay here and produce music."

He smiled, "Well, think about it and let me know if you change your mind, Beca."

"Will do. Thanks," I replied.

He left, and I focused on getting my first few songs queued up. I was interrupted by one of the servers. She stepped cautiously into the booth and said, "Um, hi, I'm Kelly."

I turned to her and smiled. She was wearing a tank top with the club logo on it and a pair of low riding jeans that made her hips peek out under the shirt. "Hey, I'm Beca."

She smiled, "I know. You've got a great voice."

"Thanks. What can I do for you?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah. I just wanted to stop by and let you know that it's part of my rotation tonight to get you anything you need," she said a little nervously.

"Cool, thanks," I replied, not entirely sure what she meant.

"So, um, do you want a drink or anything?" She asked awkwardly.

"Oh, yeah, a soda would be great," I said, finally understanding.

She grinned, "Ok, be right back." I smiled back at her and she left.

Marcus' voice called out through the low din of noise. "Alright people, we're gonna open the doors. Get ready."

I started the music and watched as the crowd slowly filled up. Aubrey and the others arrived about half an hour later, and I waved at them when I saw them. They looked really impressed as they looked around and gradually made their way towards the stairs leading to the VIP room. I checked the time on the song, noticed I had about two minutes left, and hurried down the stairs. Aubrey met me at the bottom, her eyes shining with pride.

"Beca, this is amazing. I'm so proud of you," She said beaming at me.

"Thanks, I can't stay long, but I had to say hi," I said quickly. She grinned, and I pulled her into a fast kiss. "Thanks for coming tonight, Bre," I said when I pulled back.

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world," she said smiling.

"Alright, well have fun. I'll catch you later," I said.

"Ok, love you," she replied.

"I love you too," I said and hurried back up to the booth with about 30 seconds left on the song.

As the celebrities began to arrive, I watched with amusement as they made their way through the crowd. Some had bouncers with them that kept the fans at bay, but others stopped to chat with a few people as they made their way to the VIP room. Danny arrived at about 11. He was really gracious and talked to several people as he passed through the crowd, but he made a beeline for the DJ booth.

When he joined me, I turned to him and smiled. "Hey, Danny how are you doing?"

"I'm good, a little pre-show nerves, but I'll be alright. How are you doing?"

"Good," I said.

"That's great. So are we all set up?" He asked, betraying how nervous he really was.

I gave him an encouraging smile. "Yeah, dude, relax. I've got you covered."

He grinned, "Alright, I trust you. Is your girl here?"

I laughed, "Yeah she's upstairs, probably trying not to drool over Emma Watson."

He chuckled, "Should I go save her the embarrassment and introduce them?"

"Sure, she'd love that. But if you do, you might find yourself being drooled over by my other friends," I said with a smirk.

He rolled his eyes, "I can handle it. See you later."

"Later," I said and watch as he climbed the stairs up to the VIP room.

A little while later, I glanced up at the balcony overlooking the lower dancer floor. I was surprised to see Danny and Aubrey deep in conversation at the railing. I was curious what they were talking about. Aubrey glanced down and met my eyes, she smiled and winked. I returned the smile and turned back to the music, promptly forgetting their conversation as I got absorbed.

By 10 till midnight, the club was crowded, with people everywhere, dancing, drinking and talking. They seemed to enjoy the punk/dance mixes I was spinning. Kelly had stopped by several times with refills and she seemed to grow less nervous around me with each visit. Danny joined me in the booth a few minutes before show time to collect his microphone. He was a bundle of energy and couldn't stay still as he counted down the minutes. At three minutes till midnight, I transitioned to a song that would end at exactly the right time. The song was one of Danny's older songs. The crowd cheered as they recognized it, knowing that Danny was in the club. I glanced over at Danny and he grinned.

"You know that's either a stroke of genius or a horrible mistake," he said good-naturedly.

I smiled and shrugged, "I know. Go ahead and head to the stage. You've got about a minute."

"Thanks, Beca," He said, turning to head down the stairs.

"Good luck, Danny." I said. He shot one last grin over his shoulder and left the booth.

I took a few deep breaths and readied my microphone. As the last notes of the song fell into silence, an expectant hush fell over the club. I turned on the mic and announced, "Hey guys, this is DJ Mitchell. You having a good time?" I paused while the crowd roared. I grinned, "Great, well we've got a special treat for you tonight. Some of you may have heard the rumor that Danny Taylor is about to release a new album." Again cheers rang through the club. "Well, the rumors are true, and Danny would like to give you guys an exclusive preview tonight." I had to pause a third time for the screaming crowd. "Now, this new album is a little different from what you're used to, but I think you're gonna love it. So without further ado, I give you Danny Taylor!"

Danny took the stage at a jog. "Thanks, Mitchell," he said looking up at me in the booth. I smiled at him and prepped the background track for his song while he greeted his audience. I waited for his nod before I started the music. While the intro played, I looked out at the crowd. I saw some smiles, a lot of surprise, and a little confusion amongst the crowd. When Danny began to sing, the crowd went crazy. It was awesome, everyone seemed to love the new song, and Danny killed it on stage.

When the song ended, Danny gave a little bow and smiled at the crowd, who was yelling their appreciation loud enough to give me the beginnings of a headache. Danny waved them into silence. Then he asked, "Did you like that?" He was answered with renewed cheers and he bowed again before gesturing for silence again. "I'm really glad to hear you say that. To be honest, I couldn't have done it without the musical genius of DJ Mitchell up there." He said pointing up at me in the booth. All eyes turned to me and I had to force a smile to my lips as a knot of anxiety formed in my belly. 'What is he doing?' I wondered. He just grinned up at me and said, "Now, since I owe my new album to her, I was hoping she'd sing the next song with me. Maybe if you guys give her a little encouragement, she'll agree."

My cheeks immediately heated as the anxiety turned to full blown panic. Someone who sounded remarkably like Jesse started chanting, "Mitchell, Mitchell…" and the rest of the crowd quickly joined in. I let out a little groan, realizing that I wouldn't be able to get out of it now. I glanced up to the balcony above the dance floor and saw Aubrey watching me. She gave me a nod of encouragement. I nodded, and turned back to the crowd.

"Alright, Alright, I'll do it." I said into the microphone. The crowd responded with another wave of cheers. I cued up the background track for another of Danny's new songs. When the music started to play, I grabbed my booth mic and slipped it out of its stand, grateful that it was also wireless. I headed down to join Danny as he began to sing. I let him sing thru the first verse before jumping in to mix in a different one of his new songs that had the same beat. His eyebrows shot up in surprise. I gave him a nod to indicate he should continue his original song. He started the chorus and the crowd went wild. I faded the second song in and around the song he was singing. When we finished, the roar of the crowd was deafening. We gave bows and then I headed back up to the booth, letting Danny handle the crowd. When he was done with his thanks, I announced, "Alright. Now let's dance!" The crowd cheered again, and I started the next song. Danny and Marcus arrived in the booth together. They both grinned at me.

"Becs, that was amazing!" Danny said, still bouncing with his excitement.

I gave him a smile before turning my attention to my boss who said, "Very well done, Beca."

"Thanks," I said to them both, taking Danny's microphone and storing it back in its case.

Marcus waited for him to head up to the VIP room before he said, "You're really doing a great job tonight. This is a great success."

"Thanks, sir," I said.

"No, thank you. You are the best find the label has made in years." I blushed and ducked my head. He chuckled and said, "Now, I believe Ms. Posen is dying to congratulate you, so I will send her down, but after that, you make take a break. I believe some of our VIPs would also like to speak with you."

"Alright, thank you, Marcus. This is really a dream come true."

He nodded his understanding and headed up the stairs. I quickly created a playlist that would last for about half an hour, since I didn't know how long I would be away from the booth. I made sure to memorize the last two songs in the list, so I would know when my time was running out. I turned around just as Aubrey reached the booth.

She launched herself at me, wrapping me in a tight hug and kissing me. I returned the kiss for a moment before pulling back, knowing we were in plain view of the club and I was still working. She grinned at me, "You were amazing. I'm so proud of you. Those songs were amazing, Beca."

"Thanks, Bre," I said grinning.

"You really are one in a million. I love you so much," she said pulling me in for another kiss.

"I love you too," I managed to get out before her lips closed over mine. When we pulled back, I grinned at her. "That was terrifying," I admitted.

She grinned, "I knew you'd be able to do it."

Realization dawned, "That's what you and Danny were talking about."

She looked chagrinned, "Yeah. He asked me how you'd react. Sorry we didn't give you any warning."

I gave her a mock glare for a moment before smiling, "It's really ok. It worked out. I haven't sung in front of that many people since college. I guess I missed it more than I realized."

Aubrey smiled, "I'm glad you're not mad at me."

"I'm not. Come on, I've got a bit of a break. I've been ordered to mingle with the celebrities."

She chuckled, "Alright, just don't get any ideas."

I smirked, "I won't, Bre. I'm yours remember?"

Her eyes darkened, "Yes, I remember." I grinned, and took her hand to lead her up to the upper level of the club. The rest of the night passed in a blur. Several musical stars expressed interest in working with me. I told them they needed to go through Marcus, but I'd be happy to work with them if the scheduling worked out. Aubrey, Chloe, Stacie, and Jesse had had a great time, and they all agreed that Danny's new album was amazing and sure to be an instant hit. I even managed to get in my dance with Aubrey. Chloe, Stacie and Jesse all left around 3am. Aubrey decided to stay and wait for me. When we left the club after it had closed, I was completely blown away when we were surrounded by paparazzi. They had apparently gotten word of my performance with Danny and decided that I was interesting enough for the tabloids. They shouted questions at us, but we just pushed past them with the help of a couple of the club's bouncers and climbed into my car.

Once we had gotten safely away, I grinned over at Aubrey and said, "That was an amazing night. Thank you for being there. It wouldn't have been the same without you."

She smiled, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I love you, Beca."

"I love you too, Aubrey."