Current Date: Friday - October 14, 2016

Time Passed: 26 Days

Dysrhythmia

Hold on to me as we go,
As we roll down this unfamiliar road.
And although this wave is stringing us along;
Just know you're not alone,
'Cause I'm gonna make this place your home.
- Phillip Phillips

"How ready are you to leave this hospital?" Julia asks Aubrey.

Beca collapses down hard on her cot. "I am so ready to leave this place. I never want to sleep on another one of these guest beds again."

Aubrey looks her direction. "Sorry for the inconvenience."

"It's been eight days and you're just now apologizing for my discomfort? Wow."

"You're going to let her do that to me?" Beca asks as Aubrey's pillow hits her in the face.

"You kinda deserved it," Julia replies.

"This whole family hates me. I'm out."

"Are you two having fun?" Julia asks.

Aubrey smiles and nods. "Mhm."

"Do I look like I'm having fun?" Julia asks.

"Honestly?" Beca props herself up on her elbows. "You kinda of always look unnaturally happy. Did you get botox?"

Julia tilts her head with a smile. "No." She picks up Aubrey's pillow only to throw it back on Beca's head. "If you ladies would like to leave this place, Aubrey still needs to get dressed."

"Oh my god, Aubrey, just let someone else button your sweater for you."

Why when she's already buttoned most of the buttons? She shakes her head. "I can do it just fine." It just takes a little longer when she only has one hand to do it with.

"We're going to be here another eight days." Beca lays back down.

"You'll be here even longer if you don't shut up."

"This cast has, what, two more weeks before it comes off?" Julia says, "You can wait, Beca."

Beca lifts only her head. "Two weeks here while she figures out how to button? I thought this was why you bought her dresses."

"Aubrey, Baby, just let me button it." Julia ignores her sigh as she takes the shirt out of her hand and finishes the last three buttons. "There. That's it. We can go."

"Good riddance to this place." Beca is the first one out the door, walking down the hall at a speed Aubrey can barely keep up with after a week in bed. "Promise me we are never coming back here again except to see Chloe. I want to sleep in a real bed every night of my life from this day forward."

"I almost died and that's all you can think about?"

"But you didn't die," – Beca presses the elevator button – "so, yes."

"You could have gone home for more than just to grab clean clothes," Aubrey points out.

There's a shadow of a smile on Beca's face as she steps onto the elevator and turns around to face forward. "You would have missed me."

The doors slide shut and Aubrey stands up straight and tall, looking anywhere except at her reflection in the metal. "Definitely not."

"How are you feelin'?" Julia asks when they start going down.

"I feel okay." Aubrey wouldn't go as far as to say she's feeling good, but she's not feeling bad either. After how she was feeling, 'okay' still feels like bliss. She smiles just to prove herself then switches back into neutral. Not looking at anything in regards to that hell-ish island for a week has made her feel not so bad mentally too. It's almost like she can function.

"I want you to sit in the front seat. Maybe it'll help avoid some motion sickness."

"I think it's just because you like her more than me," Beca comments.

"Aw, Peanut," Julia coos and steps around Aubrey to get to her.

"No, come on," Beca presses herself into the elevator wall in a futile effort to avoid having her hair ruffled, "That's not what I was getting at. I don't care that you like her more than me. I kind of don't want you to like me at all if it means not touching me."

"Okay." Julia takes a step back. "I don't like you then."

"Seriously?" Beca opens one eye.

"No." Julia takes one last chance to mess up her hair then steps off the elevator and into the lobby. "I like you both plenty."

"But me more," Aubrey mouths silently once she turns around.

"You think?"

"Uh huh."

Beca ducks her head so her hair cascades down around her face and steps between them as they walk toward the door.

"They're not here, Beca."

"You don't know that."

It's true that John and Gail did seem to give up unusually easy. Aubrey expected at least a few reports of them trying to get into the hospital, but there's been none. They seemingly disappeared just as quickly as they arrived, which is highly unlike them. She finds herself peering into the bushes as they step outside, in preparation to be ambushed. "Do you think something happened to them?"

"No." Julia wraps an arm around her. "I'm sure security just did a good job chasing them off."

"These are the kind of people that would risk jail time breaking into your car just to pop up in the back seat when you're least expecting it," Beca says, "I wouldn't be surprised if they've been in your trunk all week."

"Would you like me to pop it and check?"

"I'd like you to glue it shut and then have the car impounded."

"My mom and dad don't even have a car, Beca," Aubrey points out as they approach the vehicle, "It's a truck."

"I don't remember if the back of it was covered or not."

Julia peers into the bed of the truck. "No people back there. Do you want me to check underneath too?"

"Yes," Beca answers in all seriousness.

Breathing a laugh, Julia bends down and checks there too. "Nope. No one. I think you're free of them for now."

Beca does a full 360° turn before she opens the back door. "I can feel them watching me. I know they're here."

She's probably right. Aubrey looks around as well as she climbs into the front seat. "Is it odd that there aren't any reporters here?" It's difficult to believe that everything blew over so quickly.

"Maybe a little bit," Julia replies, "But let's not question a good thing right now." She leans over Aubrey to dig around in the glove compartment then offers her one of the airline sick bags. "Do you want this, Baby?"

Aubrey shakes her head and tucks it between the center console and her seat. "Maybe you only thought you saw them in the lobby."

"Buckle up."

"No," Beca says as the seat belts click, "I know who I saw. It was them."

"Hm," Aubrey hums and leans her head against the glass, "Weird. Have you checked their website?"

"I don't want to check their website. They probably have some sort of…thing that will tell them it's me."

"Would you like me to check their website?" Julia says.

Beca shrinks back against her seat and folds her arms. "No."

"Then let's just accept that they're not here and deal with them if they do show up." Julia glances back at her through the mirror. "Alright?"

Beca shrugs and the rest of the ride back to the café apartment is silent.

xxxxx

"Surprise!"

Aubrey is assaulted by the sound of a party horn the second she walks in the door. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know who put a party hat on the cat and strung up a giant banner with the words 'Welcome Home (Again)' that's raining glitter onto the floor every time the fan hits it.

"I had no idea," Julia whispers in her ear as she squeezes past, "Wow, this was so nice of you boys!"

It's difficult for Aubrey to tell if her own face is smiling or cringing. "Thank you so much," she murmurs.

"Sorry there's no party games." Brian claps her on the good shoulder as he walks past.

"He wouldn't let me," Conrad complains, "He says they're too 90s or something."

Thank Jesus. "It's fine."

"Do you like it?" Noah asks.

Aubrey nods. It's the thought that counts. "Is this – is this it?" She looks around for anything else tethering her to the living room.

"This is it," Brian answers.

"Well, this was…so much fun." Aubrey turns to walk backwards down the hall. "See you later?"

"Glad you enjoyed it!" Conrad calls after her, "Rest well!"

"I thought he was going to say 'rest in peace'," Beca mumbles.

"Shut up."

"Have you seen out back yet?" Beca reaches the door first but waits for Aubrey to step inside, "It's actually pretty awesome out there."

Aubrey sits down on the edge of the bed and slips off her shoes. "Maybe later." The bed is softer than she remembers it being and she sinks into it as she curls up on her side. "You don't have to lay down with me," she comments when Beca joins her.

"I was serious about what I said," Beca replies, "I have never been more excited than I am right now on this bed. I may never get up." She sprawls out on her back and turns her head in Aubrey's direction. "How long are you supposed to take it easy?"

"Just a few days." As much as she wants to be up moving, a few days in bed is nothing compared to ending up back in the hospital for another week or more.

"It could be worse. You could have no excuse to not attend your party."

"What's your excuse?" Aubrey inches sideways to rest her head between Beca's neck and shoulder.

"I'm waiting."

"For what?"

Beca answers with a sly shrug.

Whatever. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Apex predators," Beca answers, "Specifically ones in this room."

"Me?" Aubrey guesses.

That causes Beca to burst out laughing. "Worse than you."

"You?"

"Of course that would be your next guess. No!"

"I don't see any Apex predators in this room, Beca." Aubrey props herself up to look. It's then that she realizes there should be an Apex predator in the room. "Where is my alligator?"

"I tried to stop it, but he was eaten," Beca claims.

"By what? The dog?" Aubrey sits up.

"No! By a bigger predator! A dinosaur, perhaps…"

The only dinosaur in the room is… "I told you Stegosauruses were herbivores." Of course that's why Beca wanted all of her Tetris tickets to buy a giant stuffed dinosaur at the arcade - and probably also why she claimed she needed to return home for clean clothes halfway through Aubrey's hospital stay instead of having somebody bring them to her.

"And I told you, food is scarce and the dinosaurs are desperate." Beca rests her hands behind her head. "Your move."

Aubrey could just tear it open – remove her alligator from its stomach Big Bad Wolf style. But that would be too simple. "Okay. If that's how you want this to be…"

"Are you sure you don't wanna chill out on the fire escape while it's still warm enough to do it?"

"I thought you were determined to never leave this bed."

Beca doesn't answer. She just smiles and looks amused.

It was pleasantly warm out there with a nice, cool breeze. Aubrey stares at the window for a little while before deciding to put her shoes back on. "Are you coming too or is this a ploy to lock me out?" she asks when Beca doesn't move.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Beca gets up with the help of Aubrey pulling her out of bed. "I think pulling me around counts as straining yourself too much."

Light nearly blinds her as she pushes open the curtain. She squints her eyes and tries to open the window, finally managing when Beca steps in to help. "What if my arm doesn't work when the cast comes off?"

"You said you can move your fingers, right?" Beca asks as she climbs over the windowsill.

Aubrey looks down and moves them back and forth. "I still don't feel anything." Aside from itchy, that is.

"But it still works." Beca helps her out onto the top of the fire escape. "Maybe it'll feel better once the cast is off?"

Maybe. The sun is shining down directly on them, and Aubrey lowers herself to sit on the first step underneath it. She tilts her head back and breathes in the smell of baked goods and leaves that are changing colors.

"This part of the city is actually really nice. I didn't realize people could have yards and trees. I thought it was all high rises and brownstones. Did you see your dad parked his boat out here?"

Noah's boat isn't the only thing interesting in the backyard. To make room for the boat, several tables and chairs have been stacked on top of each other. There's also a small stage and an outdoor bar fully stocked with alcohol. Aubrey likes that it's all fenced in with tall, sturdy wood panels and a padlocked gate.

"I'd offer to get us drinks, but that's probably not the best idea right now." Beca grabs a metal bar above their heads and uses it to pull herself up to sit on the railing. "They probably have some soda down there…?"

"Maybe later. I think I'll just stick with water for now."

"How about a joint?" Brian asks from somewhere beneath them. "It might help make you hungry."

Aubrey realizes it's a joke, but when she hears the sound of a lighter click, she becomes aware that he has one for himself. "Okay."

"Wait, seriously?" He steps out into yard where she can see him.

"That was my first reaction," Beca says.

Joint in mouth, Brian parkours over the railing and walks up the stairs to sit next to Aubrey. "Glitter-Brain went inside for more." He passes it to Aubrey, who takes a hit then offers it to Beca.

"Is it better the second time around?" Beca inquires.

"Aw," Brian coos, "She's a newbie."

Beca scoffs. She makes a face then clears her throat after giving it another try. "So, what, we just pass it in a circle while we hang out on the fire escape like some stereotypical New York movie?"

"Mhm." Aubrey leans her head back again as she waits her turn, quietly examining the yellowing maple leaves above her head. "It's called bonding."

"I think I kind of like this." She nudges Aubrey's arm with her bare toes. "This is almost like drinking wine on the balcony, only without the sophistication."

"This is plenty sophisticated," Brian chimes in, "You want wine? We got some down at the bar."

If only Aubrey was allowed to drink wine right now. She'll just have to settle for things as they are. Smoke drifts from her mouth toward the tree as she exhales.

"No, but I might hit you up for a beer after dinner," Beca replies.

"Consider it an open bar," Conrad announces on his way up the steps, "Help yourself."

Aubrey isn't really sure Beca should be drinking right now either – not after claiming she was never going to drink again so as not to end up taking after her mother, but that's a conversation to have in private. She hands the joint in her hand back to Brian in exchange for her own as Conrad offers one to her.

"Why do I get this one?" he asks.

"You're the one who chose to share." Aubrey adjusts herself into a more comfortable position, readying herself to be sitting in one spot for awhile. "Is this where you do your drag shows?" she asks, motioning vaguely toward the stage.

"Sometimes," Conrad answers, "There is mostly just a lot of bad karaoke that happens out here."

"That sounds fun."

"We can hook it up sometime if you want," Brian offers.

"Maybe." It sounds fun until Aubrey starts to actually think about it. It's been a long time since she's done karaoke without Chloe. They have their song that Chloe always insists they do, and it just wouldn't be the same.

"Yeah," Beca says much more enthusiastically, "That sounds awesome. I'm down."

A knock on the windowsill has them all hiding the drugs in their hands beside them. Julia pokes her head out and looks curiously at the four of them. "I came out here to ask about lunch, but now I have more questions." No one utters a word as she steps out onto the fire escape and sits down on the window ledge. "No one thought to invite me and Dad to the after party?"

"Um…" Aubrey looks down through the grates.

"I thought that might be weird," Conrad whispers, "Did you want to be invited?"

Brian is the first to quit acting innocent. "Clearly, she can smell it. Are we all not adults capable of making our own decisions?" He resumes smoking, paying no mind to the rest of them.

Julia holds her hand out in Aubrey's direction, and Aubrey reluctantly hands it over. She brings it to her lips and takes a hit then passes it back. "What would you guys like for lunch?" Her brows arch up when she's met with only stares and silence. "Should I ask again?"

They all shakes their heads.

"Then someone come up with an answer, please."

"Oh, can we have grilled cheese and tomato soup?" Conrad asks, "I love grilled cheese."

Julia looks at Aubrey. "Does that sound okay?"

It sounds tolerable enough. She nods, and then they all look at each other once she's gone.

"That did not go how I expected it to," Beca states at a low volume, "But I also don't know why I'm surprised by that."

"Hey, Aubrey." Brian tosses a vape pen onto her lap. "It's CBD. Keep it. I have refills inside. It might help with some things."

Aubrey passes the rest of her joint off to Conrad and looks it over. "I have no idea how this works."

"I think you just press the button and inhale," Beca says.

Easy enough. Aubrey gives it a shot. "Can I use this inside?"

"It won't bother us any," Brian answers, "You can get it flavored if you want. The raspberry one smells great."

"Thanks." It's funny how something as simple as a vape pen can suddenly feel like something special. Or maybe that's just being surrounded by so many people going out of their way to make sure she's as comfortable as can be. Still, there's a small part of her that can't help but think she might be doing better if she was on her own without all this – at least on the outside. She would have no other option but to push through to the very best of her ability. To go back to work. To resume life as she knew it before.

She's supposed to be something other than this – confident, strong, perfect. In other words, a Posen. Instead, she's disheveled in every meaning of the word, falling apart faster than the pieces can be picked up in front of a whole group of people. Her father would consider this completely unacceptable.

"Hey, Champ." Noah leans halfway out the window with a cup. "Your mother told me to tell you to drink some water," he says then turns to the rest of them, "I see what you Krazy Kids are up to. I hope that's the good stuff and not something you bought from someone sketchy on the street."

"I am the sketchy someone on the street, Sir," Conrad says then returns his offer for a fist bump.

"Drink your water." Noah kisses her head then ruffles her hair. "Stay out of trouble. We're in the kitchen cooking lunch for everyone if you need anything."

Maybe she's weak in her father's definition of the word. But god is it a relief.

"Be good." He disappears back behind the curtain.

"When I was a kid," Conrad says, "This is what I imagined family was supposed to be like, but then I always thought I must be wrong. Like are there stable people out there or is everyone just waiting for the other shoe to drop? I guess I know now. Isn't it nice just listening to the birds while someone makes us lunch? We have a few minutes where we don't have to think or do anything. I feel like we're all siblings."

Aubrey and Beca share a look.

"I've always wanted to fuck my sibling," Brian shares their thoughts out loud.

"You know what I meant."

"Would you fuck your clone?" Brian asks.

Conrad answers yes at the exact same time Aubrey answers no.

Beca puts her hands up in the air when they all turn to her. "I think I would have to know the circumstances behind this."

"I'd do it," Brian says, "Then I could rightfully claim I screwed the sexiest man on earth."

Aubrey rolls her eyes.

"Nobody knows my body better than me," Conrad claims, "Except for maybe God. Would you fuck God?"

"Does anyone know how to do the sign of the cross right now?" Beca asks.

Aubrey answers by example.

"Please," Brian replies, "Like that's the only reason we're all going to Hell. If I'm made in the image of God, isn't that still basically fucking myself?"

"I've never thought about it that way," Conrad says, "Huh."

"Hey, Aubs." Beca nudges her with her foot again. "Water."

Right. Aubrey forgot already. She places the vape in her lap and picks up the cup to take a few sips.

Conrad gasps. "We should play spin the bottle."

"What?" It's too late. He's already halfway down the fire escape. "We don't have enough options for that to be interesting!" Aubrey tries to persuade him to come back. "We've all already kissed one-third of the choices."

"That's still less than half!"

"Somehow, this is your fault," Beca blames Aubrey.

Brian nods. "I second that."

"How is this my fault?" Aubrey doesn't even know how they went from having sex with their clones to kissing each other. Come to think of it, she barely understands how the clone question came to be.

Conrad leaps back up the stairs with a water bottle. "I'll go first. Are you ready?"

Not in the slightest.

He squats down on the first step next to Aubrey and spins the bottle on the platform. "It's myself!" he exclaims when it lands back on him, "How should I do this?"

"I dare you to see if you can kiss your own crotch," Brian says.

"Oh, that's easy. I do daily yoga." Conrad moves the bottle out of his way and sits crisscross on the platform to perform the deed.

"I don't think this is how this game is played," Aubrey claims, looking the other way.

"Then show us how it's done if you think you can play it so much better," Brian says, "Or can you not do it better?"

That's not fair. The bottle is slid back into the middle and Aubrey tentatively places her fingers around the middle of it. Please, God, land on Beca. She gives it a good spin, one that she hopes will send it flying off the fire escape. It turns circle after circle, succeeding in only increasing her anxiety over where it's going to land the longer it goes on. There is no way in hell she's kissing any part of her own body. It begins to slow down until it stops on Brian. Fuck. "I'm not moving," she decides, "So, if you want this to happen, you're going to have to come down here." Maybe that will deter him.

Brian lowers himself to the step in front of her.

You've gotta be kidding. Aubrey leans forward and pecks him on the lips.

"What are you – thirteen?" Beca asks.

"It's someone else's turn," Aubrey replies.

"I guess I'm closest to the bottle." Brian gives it a spin then stands up. He guffaws when it lands back on Aubrey. "Make an effort this time."

Aubrey replies with an audible groan. This whole thing is a terrible idea. She places her hand on his chest as a barrier between them when he lowers himself to her level again then grips the front of his shirt and puts in some travail this time. It isn't entirely unpleasant. After what feels like enough time to appease them all, she pulls back and arches her brow.

"Not the worst," Brian responds, "But also not nearly what I'm looking for in a man."

"Beca…" Conrad sings.

"Hey." Noah pokes his head back out through the window. "Come get readh to eat."

"You have no idea how happy I am grilled cheese can be done that fast." Beca scrambles inside.

"That's not fair!" Aubrey calls after her. She pockets the vape and grabs the glass, following her inside.

"What's the matter?" Julia says when she comes sulking into the kitchen.

"Nothing." Aubrey drops down in the chair across from Beca and pulls her feet up away from the dog.

"Are you going to glare at me the whole time we eat?" Beca asks, looking up from her soup.

Why does she think Aubrey sat directly across from her? Certainly not because she enjoys looking at her face that much.

"Would you feel better if I kissed my own dick?" Beca asks.

"Can you?" Conrad asks.

"Beca." Julia gives her a look. "Let's save the genital talk for another time."

Beca looks back down with a sheepish grin and reddened cheeks.

"You're ruining my appetite." Not that Aubrey has much of one yet to begin with.

"Eat anyway," Julia tells her.

Food smells bland. It tastes that way too. It isn't making her nauseous anymore, but it isn't exactly great either. Aubrey takes a bite of her sandwich and chews it slowly, bored. It must be good, because everyone else seems like they're enjoying it. Maybe it would be better if she actually felt something even akin to hunger. Her stomach feels nothing.

"Doing good?" Julia asks her. She leans against the kitchen counter, her own sandwich in hand.

"Mhm. So when are we going to the office about the money?"

"Monday," Brian answers, "But they're coming here."

"What? Why?" Never mind. Aubrey knows why. So she can rest.

"So, I was thinking" – Conrad leans across the table – "once you're better, our first outing can be to the pumpkin patch together. There are six of us. So, we can all get a pumpkin to carve and paint a different color of the rainbow to place in the store window for reopening."

Aubrey looks up with only her eyes. Of course, he's going to have to reopen. It's his job. But that means there will be people. Crowds of them. Here.

"Don't worry," Conrad says, "We're going to start with drive-by pick-up only and somewhere else offered to host the annual Halloween party. We'll ease into – see what happens. Soon you'll have so much money, you won't have to worry about it anyway."

"So, do we have any ideas about houses or what we're going to do?" Julia inquires.

Conrad gasps. "If we made a duplex, but for six, we could all live together in a sexplex!" His idea is met with silence and then various 'no's.

"I don't know." Aubrey looks at Beca.

"I mean, the duplex idea itself isn't a bad one," Beca says, "It could be nice to have our own space but still be together."

"You could have a family room and then have your apartments rise up like castle towers," Brian suggests.

"Family room, maybe," Aubrey says, "Castle towers, no."

"Are you thinking of building a house?" Julia asks.

Are they? "I don't know." It might be difficult to find a triplex that meets their needs. "I guess so?"

"Someone's going to need to sketch it out," Noah says.

"Beca and I will do it." She assumes Beca is probably going to want her input included – at least for her own section. "It could be fun. Right?"

"It does sound kind of fun," Beca replies, "I never thought I'd be building my own house one day. Then again, I never thought I'd be living the rest of my life with you either."

"Likewise," Aubrey assures her.

"This is a good start," Julia says, "Are Dad and I living there or somewhere close by?"

"There," Aubrey answers a little too quickly.

"In that case, I want an indoor alligator pit and strobe lights in the bedroom," Noah says.

"And, in that case, I'd like my own section of the house," Julia adds.

"Alligator pit," Aubrey reiterates, "Got it."

"Indoors. And strobe lights-"

"-in the bedroom."

Noah winks. "That's my girl."

"We should put alligator prints on the floors," Aubrey adds.

"Nooooo," Julia draws out in a low tone, "That's a very bad idea."

"I think it's a great idea," Noah mouths, earning himself a smack on the back of the head. He waits until she turns away to give Aubrey a thumbs up.

"So, we're actually doing this?" Beca confirms, "We're just building a whole house. Just like that."

"Yeah," Aubrey answers, "I guess we are." It's that or browse the real estate market for a house that probably doesn't exist.

"Can I live in your mansion?" Conrad asks.

Brian drops his sandwich in his soup. "You can't just ask to live in someone's house."

"It would be a quadruplex," Conrad says, "And why not? She's living in ours. We talked about upgrading our living quarters and buying a real building for the café. Where better to live than our rich friends' mansion, Brian? It's not like we can't pay our share at all."

Aubrey turns her sandwich over in her hand, studying the crust. He could be joking, but ultimately he's right. They would basically be living in separate apartments. "Okay." She looks at everyone else for their approval. They all look a little stunned, but no one is disagreeing.

"Seriously?" Brian finally asks, "You're just going to say yes to that?"

"You're sure that's what you want?" Julia adds, "You don't wanna take some time to think about it a little more in depth?"

Time… Any one of them could die at any moment. She reviews it in her head again. It's not like it's going to be a commune. They're talking completely separate areas of one building. It's beginning to dawn on her that she likes these guys well enough for that - and she really owes them for everything they've done. She looks at Beca to see if there's any doubt.

"Can anyone actually think of any cons to basically just being neighbors in the same building besides noise through the walls?" Beca asks.

There's still going to be noise through the walls whether Aubrey moves back to her apartment alone or lives in some way, shape, or form with everyone here. At least here, she'll know whose door to go banging on if she has a problem. She licks her lips and gives it one last brief consideration. "Let's do it." Impulsivity be damned. "Let's build a house together."