A/N: The response to the last chapter was really great, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations :)

I have a busy weekend ahead so I'm posting this early.

Please please please keep reviewing

I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters

Beca managed to fall back to sleep for a couple of hours after her early morning text from Chloe. She was woken up again at 8:30am by her dad throwing a Santa hat at her and telling her to wake up.

"What the hell?!" Beca asked, getting such a fright she nearly fell out of bed.

"Merry Christmas to you too," he said, looking as tired as she felt.

"What's this?" Beca asked, holding up the hat. "Are we doing Santa hats now?"

"We're being festive," he said. "Come on, Sheila's doing some kind of ridiculous hot chocolate with marshmallows and she told me to wake you up."

"Well, sugar is my favourite breakfast food," she pulled on her Santa hat. "Okay, let's go be a normal family."

He left the room, and she got dressed. She dug out her Christmas sweater from last year that had 'Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animals' on the front, and pulled on a pair of jeans. She checked her phone to see if Chloe had text. She hadn't, but she did have a text from Jesse which was a photo of him in his ironically ugly Christmas sweater. She replied with a photo of her in hers, scowling in her Santa hat.

Jesse: You wore that one last year!

Beca: Still relevant though.

She went downstairs to see Sheila creating her elaborate hot chocolate, and her dad chopping potatoes.

"Merry Christmas!" Sheila said, cheerfully. Beca wished her a merry Christmas in return before being pulled into a hug.

"Beca, grab a knife and start peeling those carrots," her dad said.

Beca took a seat and a knife, and started peeling.

Sheila gave her her hot chocolate before checking on the turkey.

"Oh my god this is amazing," Beca said, abandoning the carrots and drinking half of the hot chocolate in one. "Forget turkey, I want this for dinner."

Sheila chuckled, she met John's eyes across the table and the two smiled at each other.

This was what he had wanted for so long.

Christmas with just him and Beca had always been a quiet affair. When she was still a kid it was fun, yet always tinged with sadness that she didn't have her mother there. As time went on, Christmas became less and less of a big deal. This time last year, Beca had slept until noon. When she woke up they both said the obligatory Merry Christmas, exchanged gifts which, in Beca's case, was a card with money inside, and then went into their own living rooms. At dinner time, he made them mac and cheese.

John couldn't be happier that this year it was completely different.

Once the dinner was prepped and cooking, they went into the living room and exchanged gifts.

Her dad and Sheila had gotten Beca a new pair of over-the-ear bluetooth headphones, and a pair of purple Doc Marten boots.

She'd gotten her dad some books he'd wanted, and had asked him to get Sheila whatever alcohol she liked best.

Then she found the present that Chloe had hidden under the tree.

"How did she even get it here, she's never been in this room," Beca said, confused.

"I may have helped," her dad said.

Beca opened the gift, and inside was a simple silver bracelet with the word 'Titanium' engraved on the inside.

"Oh Beca, that's beautiful," Sheila said, as Beca admired it.

"Yeah," Beca said, smiling, slipping it onto her wrist. "It really is."

The rest of the day went on, with Beca feeling more and more happy and content.

Dinner was amazing, even if there had been far too much food, and soon they were all lounging in the living room, having a lazy conversation between yawns.

Beca was on the verge of falling asleep when her phone buzzed in her pocket.

Chloe: I need you.

Beca's heart sank as she sat up straight.

Beca: I'm on my way xxx

"I'm gonna go see Chloe for a bit," Beca said shoving her phone in her pocket and pulling on her new shoes. She tried to keep her voice sounding casual, but her dad could hear the urgency in her voice.

"Okay," he said. "Text me if you're going to be gone awhile."

"Will do," she said, patting her jeans pocket to make sure her keys were still there. She'd slipped them in that morning in case she had to leave quickly.

"Wish her a Merry Christmas from us," Sheila said. She didn't understand why Beca suddenly had to leave, but it seemed important so she didn't question it.

"I will, thanks," Beca said, rushing for the door.

She drove to Chloe's in record time, and when she pulled up outside she saw Chloe was already out there, sitting on the garden wall.

Her hands were clenched tighter than Beca had ever seen them, and tears had left tracks down her face.

She rushed over to her and pulled her into a hug before she'd even said hello.

Chloe buried her face in Beca's chest and gripped her tightly, willing herself not to cry more.

Beca didn't speak for a while, she just sat beside her on the wall and held her.

"I'm sorry," Chloe said eventually.

"What on Earth do you have to be sorry for?" Beca asked, ending their hug so she could look at her.

"I pulled you away from your Christmas so you could come and sit with me in the cold," she said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She then looked up and noticed Beca's Santa hat, and started laughing and crying at the same time.

"Okay, well I don't think me in a Santa hat deserves that kind of reaction," Beca said, causing Chloe to laugh more. She took off her hat and put it on Chloe's head. "To keep your ears warm," she said.

"Speaking of warm, you must be freezing," Chloe said, realising Beca wasn't wearing a coat.

"Just a little," Beca admitted. "Do you wanna go and sit in the truck?" Chloe glanced back towards the house before nodding.

"I have to go back in soon. Mom is keeping my dinner warm," she said, and tears crept into her eyes again.

"Come on," Beca took her hand, "just five minutes."

They climbed in and Beca turned on the hot air, shivering slightly. She rubbed her hands together and held them up to the heater, waiting for them to warm up.

Chloe took her hand and noticed the silver bracelet she was wearing.

"You're wearing it," Chloe said, smiling.

"Of course I'm wearing it," Beca said. "I'm never taking it off. Now," Beca said, linking her hand with Chloe's, "do you wanna tell me what happened?"

Chloe's Mom watched through the window as Beca had rushed out of the car towards her daughter.

She watched as Beca held her tightly. How she kissed the top of her head. How she pulled her hat over Chloe's ears and finally got her to laugh. How she helped her into her car. How she sat there, listening. Looking at Chloe as if she never wanted to look at anything else.

She heard Carol's cackle of a laugh from the living room and felt herself tense up again.

She couldn't stand having this woman in her house and she knew that her husband felt the same.

He was currently in the greenhouse with Max, his nephew. He had to get away from Carol. He knew as long as he lived he'd never forget the sight of Chloe in that bathtub, fistfuls of hair surrounding her. The scissors in her hand. He couldn't listen to his sister-in-law make snide comments about his daughter. Not when she didn't know. Not when she hadn't seen her like that.

"Uncle David?" Max asked, bringing his attention back.

"Yes?"

"What's wrong with Chloe?"

"She's… She's just a bit upset. She finds eating dinner a bit hard sometimes. And there was a lot of people there today and that makes it harder for her. She'll be okay," he said.

"Oh," he said. "Aunt Carol said she was just doing it for attention. But I don't think she was. She didn't look like she wanted anyone's attention."

"No," he said, trying to push away his anger. "No she wasn't doing it for attention. I think your aunt Carol has just had too much to drink."

"Aunt Carol always has too much to drink," Max said.

"So, ready to head back in there?" Beca asked. Chloe had explained it all, and Beca had listened, and eventually, Chloe calmed down.

"Are you sure you want to come in with me?" Chloe asked. "I'm telling you she's a real bitch, and her daughters are awful."

"I'm coming with you," Beca said, squeezing her hand.

They walked back into Chloe's house hand-in-hand and Chloe sat back down at the table. Beca sat beside her and put a comforting hand on her thigh.

At this point, Aliza and Robbie came running in, doing laps around the table. Daniel was doing his best to keep up.

"Okay, okay no running around in here," Chloe's Mom called as she put Chloe's reheated dinner down again.

"Beca!" Robbie called before running up and hugging her.

"Hey dude," Beca replied, surprised. "Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas!" He said.

The sound of a new voice in the kitchen soon drew all of Chloe's relatives to it, including Carol and her twins.

Beca was suddenly being hugged and having her hand shaken by Lizzy, Tommy, Julie and then Chloe's grandparents. Carol and her twins hung back, watching.

"Back into the living room everyone," Chloe's Mom said after introductions had been made. "I know Beca is very exciting but I can't tidy up with all of you in here. Sorry about that," she added squeezing Beca's shoulder.

Beca turned her attention back to Chloe who had still yet to take another mouthful.

"I can't," she whispered. "I can't do it."

"Yes you can," Beca replied, her right hand resting on Chloe's left. "I'm right here."

Beca looked up and saw that Carol and her twins hadn't left with everyone else and were still standing there, watching them.

"I don't think we got introduced before," Beca said. "I'm Beca, Chloe's girlfriend."

"I gathered," Carol said, looking pointedly at their hands.

Beca rolled her eyes slightly before focusing her attention back on Chloe, who was already starting to get upset again.

"Hey," Beca said, softly. "It's okay. Please don't cry." She gave Chloe a quick kiss on the side of the head.

"Can I just say," Carol said, pulling Beca's attention back. "I'd actually prefer it if you didn't do that in front of my children."

"Excuse me?" Beca asked. "Do what?"

"There are children running around," she said, arms folded.

"Okay?" Beca asked. "And why does that have anything to do with me comforting my girlfriend?"

"I just think it's inappropriate. My son is only four, okay? I don't want him seeing that," Carol said. "I mean, how would I explain it? It would confuse him."

Beca opened her mouth to argue, but Chloe's Mom beat her to it.

"Robbie!" She called. "Aliza! Can you come in here and bring Daniel please?"

The three children came running in.

"Robbie," she said. "Do you know who this is?" She pointed at Beca.

He giggled. "That's Beca!" He said, laughing. "Did you forget her name?"

"Aliza, who's Beca?" She asked.

"Chloe'th girlfriend," Aliza said, giggling herself, her lisp still prominent. "Mommy you thee her all the time, how did you forget?"

"Daniel, do you understand who Beca is?"

Daniel nodded.

"You don't think it's confusing?"

He shook his head.

"Okay, thank you kids, off you run," she said before looking at Carol. "See? Easy as that. Now, please, stop upsetting my daughter and let her eat."

Carol looked like she'd just been slapped.

Beca's attention was already back on Chloe, as if Carol and her daughters weren't even there. She was whispering quiet encouragement while squeezing Chloe's hand.

"Mom, I don't think I can share a room with Chloe," Bethany said, suddenly.

"No, me neither," Lindsey agreed. "Like, no offence, but I just don't like trust you to be in the same room with us."

"Are you serious right now?" Beca said, in disbelief. "Do you have any idea how offensive that is? I mean, you can say no offence all you like, but that doesn't mean you aren't being offensive!"

"Beca, it's okay," Chloe said, not wanting her to get dragged into it.

"It isn't okay, they can't just say stuff like that to you," Beca said.

"Beca's right," Chloe's Mom said. "If you or your daughters say one more snide, bitchy thing at my daughter then you won't be welcome in this house any longer. Girls, if you don't want to share a room with Chloe, then you can share with your parents or you can sleep on the sofas. Now, please, get out of my kitchen."

Carol and her twins left the room with a huff of annoyance. They could already hear her complaining to her husband about it.

"I can't eat this," Chloe said, dropping her fork onto her plate. "Mom, I'm sorry, it's not because it doesn't taste good, I just can't." She started crying again. "I'm sorry."

Her Mom sat beside her and pulled her into her arms.

"Please don't apologise, sweetie. I don't know why she singled you out, but I promise she won't be back next year," her Mom said. "I'm never having that woman in my house again. I'm so sorry she ruined your Christmas."

Beca let go of Chloe's hand so she could hug her Mom properly. She looked down at Chloe's still full plate and felt her insides burn with anger. Chloe couldn't afford to miss a meal.

She stood up, and grabbed a tin of soup from the cupboard. At the sound of the microwave, Chloe's Mom looked up, surprised to see what was happening.

When the microwave stopped, Beca pulled the mug of soup out.

"Careful," she said, placing it in front of Chloe, "it's hot."

Chloe blinked a few times, before realising what Beca had done. She'd removed the obstacle of actually having to eat something, and replaced it with something she could drink. She wouldn't be skipping a meal.

Chloe took a tentative sip, and she knew she'd be able to finish it. It wasn't Christmas dinner, but it would do.

Beca glanced over at Chloe's Mom who was looking at Beca with an un-readable expression.

"I didn't mean to just go through your cupboards and make myself at home," Beca said, worried that she might have offended her. "I just thought, if she can't eat the dinner then she needs something, and soup is her usual go-to."

But Chloe's Mom shook her head, not trusting herself to speak.

Instead she stood up and gave Beca the biggest hug Beca had ever received from a grown woman.

"Thank you," she said.