*slowly comes out from hiding* Hi? Thanks so much for the support last chapter even though there was definitely some anger there. But at least I'm making y'all feel things, right?

Flynntrust13 - I am SO sorry you are not the only one that thought it was going to be a happy chapter *sobs* I really hated ending it like that but hey I promise that not this chapter, but the next one, will make up for it all. Thank you so much for your kind words! I have another fic in the planning stages for the end of summer once this is finished ;) Thanks so much for reading and for your support!

Becabeale47 - I'm sorryyyyy :((( If it makes you feel any better it broke my heart to write! I'm so so glad you enjoyed it though and I promise that the Epilogue will make up for the last chapter and this chapter too - thank you so much for your kind words and for all of your support!

RJRMovieFan - I am SO sorry! You are not the only one that thought it was going to be a happy chapter :( But not gonna lie, "hasn't the angst quota been filled" has to be, hands down, one of the best comments I have ever received. And I PROMISE that there is a happy ending and that I won't destroy Beca and Chloe forever *sobs* Thank you so much for your kind words and for all of your support!

Wolvezzz - I'm so sorryyyyyy! I promised a happy ending and it is a happy ending that you shall receive! Callie definitely plays a role, as always hahaha. Thank you so much for your kind words and for your support!

Shanebilasi - I promise to pull things back out of the drain by the last words of the epilogue! Yeahhhh this story really didn't have any fluff huh? I only just finished planning this out like a month ago and I had originally intended to make it a lot fluffier at the end and then...this happened. I'm a strong believer in just writing and seeing where the words take the writer rather than where the writer takes the words and idk sometimes it just turns into... really really depressing :( Thank you so much for all of your support, though!

Jody1990 - Thank you for not hating me :') I definitely tried to be accurate in both Beca and Chloe's reactions because as we've said from the beginning, this is only going to work if they're both healing and working towards solving what's going on inside of themselves, first! Hahaha I can't give you Callie stomping down the hallway, but can I give you a bedtime conversation instead? Thank you so much for reading and for all of your support!

Guest (Jul. 21) - I promised a happy ending and a happy ending is what you shall receive! No hints on what either of them are thinking though ;) Thanks so much for reading and for your support!

Icedragone - Callie definitely plays a role in pushing Chloe and Beca to do...something. No comment. But yeah, I would have to agree that Callie would be happy to have Chloe in her life. I don't plan on writing a sequel or one-shots for this one, but I promise to wrap it up in a nice little bow that will hopefully answer any and all questions that remain :) Thanks so much for reading and for your support!

Iluvtvshows - I hear you about it taking too long! I want them together too but I'm also trying to make this as realistic as possible in terms of the timeline. Both Chloe and Beca have their own healing to do - the type that only comes with time, even if it is fictional ;) But I promised a happy Bechloe ending and a happy Bechloe ending is what you shall receive, you have my word! Thanks so much for reading and for your support!

StarsAligned - What a beautiful metaphor! I loved that, and thank you for sharing. I totally hear you on the healing time and the pace at which that healing can occur. Since the first chapter, I've tried to make sure that the pace of this story was right and at least mildly accurate. As much as I want Bechloe to happen (and it will, I promise) I, by no means, want to write the progression of their relationship in a way that harmfully portrays the healing (or lack thereof) that occurs after being in an abusive relationship. I hope this chapter follows the same guidelines. I hear what you're saying, and really appreciate you taking the time to do so. Thanks so much for reading and for your support.

Dark-And-Twisted-Mind-2.0 - HAHA guilty. Sorry, what can I say - the characters tell me what they want to do, not the other way around ;) Thanks so much for reading and for your support!

Guest 1234567 - I hear you about the time that it takes to enter a romantic relationship after being a part of an abusive one. As much as I want Bechloe to happen (and it will, I promise) I, by no means, want to write the progression of their relationship in a way that harmfully portrays the healing (or lack thereof) that occurs after being in an abusive relationship. I hope this chapter follows the same guidelines. I hear what you're saying, and really appreciate you taking the time to do so. Thanks so much for reading and for your support.

LiteratureSoccerEnthusiast - Thanks so much for your kind words! As I said to StarsAligned, As much as I want Bechloe to happen (and it will, I promise) I, by no means, want to write the progression of their relationship in a way that harmfully portrays the healing (or lack thereof) that occurs after being in an abusive relationship. I hope this chapter follows the same guidelines. Thanks so much for reading and for your support!

Guest (Jul. 26) - I'm sure you did fantastic! I have to say... I'm really excited about the epilogue and I promise that it will answer any remaining questions that you may have. I'm sorry for breaking your heart :( I had all of the same thoughts while writing the chapter and well... the result was Ch. 24 hahaha. I hope this one doesn't hurt you as much as the last one did. I promise that they doing just say those things and "puff!" And who knows, Cal might just insert her little button nose into the situation ;) As for the new fic... it was a prompt from a Guest and is inspired by the CW show, Life Unexpected. I'll post the summary at the end of the Epilogue ;) Thanks so much for reading and for your support! I hope you have a nice week, too!


Chapter 25

Content Warning - Implied/referenced abusive relationship, referenced PTSD

There was a time – multiple times, really – during the first year of Beca living in Los Angeles, that she almost caved and called Chloe. She had been desperate to hear her voice – hear her reassurance. Perhaps have her convince Beca to come home.

But in comparison to the last month, that first year with Theo was almost easy.

Beca hasn't had a productive conversation with Chloe since two weeks before Thanksgiving. Since she had told Beca she was in love with her.

Since Beca told her the same.

Since Beca told her she couldn't do a relationship with her.

Since Chloe told her she couldn't do a friendship with her.

Since Chloe left.

Needless to say, it's been a long – a long and lonely – month.

Callie and Henry picked up on the disconnect almost instantly. That first day back at school, Chloe didn't even look at Beca when she met them outside – and though it shattered every part of her being with each passing moment, Beca certainly didn't go out of her way to make everything seem like it was all okay. It took Callie all of three seconds after Beca picked them up that afternoon to ask if everything was alright between her and Chloe.

And, of course, because Beca has always promised to tell her kids the truth, she told them that her and Chloe got into an argument and that they were giving each other space.

Naturally, this brought upon wave after wave of worry for the kids, who have come to rely on Chloe – who have come to love Chloe – as another caregiver.

Beca assured them that nothing would change for them, and to her knowledge, those changes have, in fact, been kept to a minimum.

Callie still spends the majority of the school day with Chloe and Chloe still tells Beca if anything happens at school. She continues to be Callie's number one advocate when Beca isn't around. Dinners at Beca's apartment and weekends spent together have decreased substantially and have been replaced with Beca dropping the kids off at Chloe's apartment for a few hours while she runs errands. Saturday dinners at the Conrad-Posen's are still in full swing, with Beca spending most of her time downstairs with the kids rather than in the kitchen with the adults.

It is not lost on Beca that this entire situation is so eerily reminiscent of a divorce – more so than her actual divorce, though she doesn't even know what to make of that.

But all of this – the distance, the separation, whatever you want to call it – has only gotten increasingly difficult as day after day, week after week has passed. There has been an ever-present, knowing ache inside of Beca's chest, and just something dark infringing on her mind.

She knows full well that it's because Chloe – bright, effervescent, wonderful Chloe – has left her life.

Beca has been holding out for the small glimmer of hope that is coming up on the horizon, though. One that is wrapped with a little red bow, smelling of pine and eggnog, with carols playing in the background.

Christmas.

Callie had asked her about it a few nights ago, mustering her best puppy-dog eyes with Henry beside her for back-up. It wasn't the first time that she had confronted Beca about Chloe's sudden absence, and has taken to – multiple times, in fact – asking Beca on a never-ending loop why things were 'messed-up' between Beca and Chloe, and when Beca was going to fix them because 'she'd be stupid to not be nice to Chloe'. Last night in particular, Callie had asked, right before bed, if Chloe could come over on Christmas for the daytime festivities and dinner, just like she had the year before.

Of course, with Callie knowing full well what kind of power her and Henry hold over Beca, it didn't take long for Beca to relent – telling Callie that she would ask Chloe about dinner the next time she saw her.

Which, obviously, requires Beca to have an actual conversation with the redhead. Alone. Something that she hasn't done in over a month.

Yet, here she is, standing outside of Chloe's classroom during her prep period, after finishing her meeting with the Dean about the job she is starting in a little less than a month as the school's new head of the music department.

Beca takes a deep breath, knocking on Chloe's classroom door, and poking her head in. "Hey."

Chloe's shock is evident, her eyebrows raising in surprise as soon as she looks up from her computer. She stutters, a soft smile eventually appearing on her lips. "Hey."

Beca keeps her distance, leaning up against one of the small desks with her heart pounding in her chest. "Do you have a second?"

"Of course." Chloe closes her laptop over, worry etched in her features. "Is everything alright?"

Beca nods. "Yeah – the kids are fine, to my knowledge at least."

This brings a light laugh from Chloe. "Well, I haven't heard anything, so…" She pauses, trailing off, before speaking once more. "You had your meeting with Dean McKinley, right?"

A faint blush rises to Beca's cheeks. Because of course Chloe remembered. "Yeah. It went well. I start after winter break."

"Awesome. We're—the kids, I mean—are lucky to have you." Her voice is void of any actual emotion, but Beca can still hear the sincerity.

"Well, I couldn't have done it without you."

Chloe doesn't respond, just gives her another smile. She taps her fingernails against her desk after a few beats of increasingly awkward silence. "So…"

"Oh. Right." Beca shakes her head to herself to stop awkwardly staring at Chloe. Though, in her defense, it feels like it's been years since she's seen her. "Uh…I'm not sure what your plans are, if you're going over to Stacie and Aubrey's or something else, but… the kids, well, me too—we were wondering if you would want to spend Christmas with us. Like last year."

Chloe blinks at Beca's blubbering, and with each passing second the brunette grows more and more embarrassed, with Chloe's answer not exactly helping. "Oh. Um—"

"I know things are weird right now—and I know that's my fault—but we would really love it if you could—if you were comfortable enough—to come over. You can stay as long as you want, and we don't even have to talk if you don't want to. But—it's Christmas."

That smile, the one that always makes Beca's heart skip a beat, breaks through again. It's not as full-fledged as it normally is (in fact, it's barely there) but still – Beca catches the faintest glimpse. "Should I bring anything?"

Beca can't help the grin that spreads across her face, one laden with both joy and relief. "No—nothing. Just yourself. Thank you, Chloe. It…it means more than you know."

Chloe waves her off. "Of course. Anything for the kids. I'll see you on Saturday."

Beca ignores the feeling of someone punching her gut with Chloe's words. "See you on Saturday. Bye, Chloe."

"Bye, Beca."


It starts with brunch.

Well, technically, it starts with Beca waking the kids up with French toast in bed, before allowing herself to be dragged out into the living room where the bottom of the Christmas tree is filled with presents.

But the festivities truly start when Chloe arrives with a raspberry streusel in one hand, and a bag of gifts in the other, at eleven in the morning, ready for the brunch that Beca had promised her.

Ready for the brunch that had been the only thing that Chloe agreed to stay for. A few hours, a bite to eat, along with spending some time with the kids. That's all she agreed to and that's all that Chloe thought that she could manage.

Then it started snowing.

Then Callie asked if they could sing Christmas carols.

Then Henry asked if they could watch The Polar Express.

Then it was dinner time, and it was still snowing, and Beca – who had exchanged pleasantries with Chloe throughout the day (including an incredibly awkward side hug when Chloe had first arrived) – refused to let her leave at that time and with the weather being the way it was. The awkwardness of the day had finally passed, and Beca and Chloe finally started loosening up, engaging in light-hearted conversations as the meal went on.

Then it was time for dessert and Chloe finally realized that she didn't want to leave and, despite every ounce of her being screaming at her not to get too comfortable – she was.

How could she not?

She has long said that Beca and the kids were her family. She has long loved Beca – those feelings don't just go away overnight.

Chloe doubts they'll ever go away, anyways.

It's just…she's been trying to distance herself. She's been trying to give her heart space to heal, and Beca space to continue healing. She knows it's not Beca's fault – but she can't help but still feel a little hurt by their previous discussion. Argument. Whatever you want to call it.

Hence the distance. Hence the space.

Hence the extreme comfort that she got from being back around them all – laughing, cuddling, having a great Christmas without the looming effects of Theo's presence this time around.

Before they know it, it's time for the kids to go to bed. Chloe gives Callie and Henry hugs and kisses. She holds on to the kids a little longer than normal, missing this level of intimacy with them – the hole in her heart being filled for the briefest moment before Beca brings them down to her bedroom, where they'll be sleeping with her tonight because the snow has made it so Chloe isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

(Aubrey has texted her multiple times, double and triple checking that she is okay. Chloe also happens to know that Stacie has texted Beca the same thing).

As Chloe sits contently on the Mitchell's couch, a soft smile on her face from the happenings of the day, Beca corrals two very hyper – yet utterly exhausted – kids into her bedroom.

The kids climb underneath the covers, both of them simultaneously flopping over on their backs and peaking their heads out from the comforter. They grin as Beca leans over them, tucking in the blankets tighter around them. "Did you have a good Christmas, my babies?"

Henry grins up at her, his little baby teeth poking through his smile. "I love my trucks!"

Beca brushes some of the hair from his face. It is getting lighter with each passing year, shifting more towards Theo's shade than her own. "I'm so glad that you love your trucks. We'll play with them some more tomorrow, okay?"

"Yay, Mama!"

"What about you, Cal? Did you have a good day?"

With a serene smile on her face, Callie nods. "Yeah. It was such a good day."

"Yeah? Is the French toast still your favorite part?"

Callie giggles, shifting so that she is laying on her side and can look Beca in the eye. "No."

"No? What was it, then?" Beca's head quirks to the side. Sure, Callie had gotten excited about her gifts just like any other nine-year-old would, but she had been more excited than Beca had been expecting about the breakfast in bed portion of the day.

Callie shrugs like it is the easiest question in the world. "Seeing you and Chloe being friends again."

Beca's smile slowly sinks off her face, her stomach flipping inside of her. Guilt quickly rises, the weight of the world instantly returning to her shoulders.

She's tried to keep the tension between her and Chloe hidden from the kids, but it's been impossible to do so. Not when they love her so much and want to be around her just as much as they want to be around Beca. And Beca's been honest with them from the start. That doesn't mean that it hasn't hurt them – it doesn't mean that there haven't been questions after questions about why they're arguing or why Chloe can't come around as often as she had been.

"Cal, I told you – Chloe and I still care a lot about each other. We are just giving each other some space right now."

Callie plays with the blanket in her hand, Henry looking carefully between both her and his Mama. "But you're done fighting now, right?"

Beca sighs, wishing more than anything that they could have kept the bedtime as light and happy as today's festivities have been. "It's a little more complicated than that, bug."

"Why? You guys are best friends. You can't fight forever."

Beca's stomach twists again, remembering just how many nights she has laid awake over the last few weeks worrying about how her and Chloe might be 'fighting forever' rather than ever being able to make up. "I know that, but sometimes, there are issues that adults have to deal with that can take a little more time to sort through."

Callie scrunches her nose, not at all liking Beca's answer, before she looks at Beca through narrowed eyes. "Well, you always tell me and Henry to 'talk it out' when we get in a fight, so maybe you and Chloe should do that. You were really happy today with her. I could tell."

Beca tries to keep up her brave face. She tries to ignore the tears burning at the back of her eyes and the thickness growing in her throat. She tries to ignore the heat rising to her cheeks from the embarrassment that comes along with your nine-year-old daughter telling it to you like it is – not leaving any room for excuses or bull shit.

She tries to tell Callie that it will all work out, that her and Chloe will figure it out eventually.

But how can she do that?

How can she do that when she has been actively avoiding having any sort of the conversation that Callie is suggesting.

That Beca – and Callie, for that matter – knows needs to happen.

She can't. Because, once again, that would be lying to her daughter.

And lying to herself.

Beca sighs, leaning over to give both Henry and Callie a loving kiss on the forehead. She pulls the comforter up once more and tucks it in around their sides (though she knows it will be strewn off the bed by the time she comes in to sleep).

"I love you both so, so much. You know that, right?" They nod, Callie looking only slightly confused by her mother's non-answer. "Good. I'll see you in the morning. Merry Christmas, loves."

"Merry Christmas, Mama."

"Merry Christmas, Mama. Love you."

"Love you, too. Sweet dreams."

Beca reaches over to turn off the lights, the bedroom being cast in a comfortable darkness before she slips out of the door to have the conversation that she knows she needs to have.


Chloe has her back to the living room when Beca returns. The lights on the Christmas tree are still glowing that soft glow, and the music playing from the stereo provides a quiet ambiance. It almost seems like a scene out of a movie as Chloe stands looking out the window at the snow falling on to the New York streets.

Beca can't help but snort to herself. Like her life has ever remotely resembled that of a Hallmark movie.

"Are you sure that it's okay for me to stay here tonight? It looks like it's slowing down…"

Beca's heart pounds against her chest as she starts cleaning up the dirty hot chocolate mugs that the kids left on the coffee table. "Of course it's okay. There is no way that the roads are going to be clear."

Chloe turns around with a soft smile on her face. She has already changed into her pajamas – blue fuzzy ones with snowflakes on them – and curls back up on the couch. "Thanks. How are the kids?"

Beca pours the hot water she had set to boil before putting the kids to bed, over two lavender tea bags. She brings the steaming mugs back over to Chloe, joining her on the couch with a full cushion separating them. "They're tucked in and probably fast asleep already. It seemed like they had a good day."

Chloe murmurs a 'thank you' against the rim of her mug. She blows lightly on the beverage, laughing at her memories from the day. "I can't get over how unenthused they were about the Disney trip. I think Henry was more excited about the Mickey Mouse ears that were in the box."

Trying to keep her voice down, Beca just shakes her head with a giant grin on her face. She will never forget how both kids had opened up the package that included supplies for a one-week vacation to Disneyland in the fall of the upcoming year, had said 'that's cool – thank you' and moved on to the next gift. Beca and Chloe – who had helped Beca prepare pre-fight, and even has her own ticket – were so devastated that they just broke down in laughter. "In their defense, they weren't necessarily raised on Disney like most kids, and they did grow up in California. Plus, Henry can't even read."

Chloe chuckles, taking another sip from her mug. "Well, hopefully they get a little more excited by the time you go."

Beca's heart clenches in her chest. She meets Chloe's eyes for the first time since sitting down. "You're still invited too, you know."

Chloe lets out a gentle sigh, her expression saddening from its rather joyous state that it's been in all day. "A lot can change in a year, Bec. We should know that better than anyone."

The emotions build inside of Beca, the brunette internally begging Chloe to just look at her and stop seeming so…distant. "What do you think is going to happen, Chloe?"

Chloe shakes her head. "Stop. Let's not do this today, Bec. It was a good day, let's just… I don't know, watch a movie and end it on a high note."

"We can't keep living like this." The blush is back in Beca's cheeks, her heart gaining the familiar ache.

Chloe rests her head on her hand. "Well, based on our last conversation, it's pretty obvious that this is the only option."

"How do you figure, Chloe? We didn't even talk about what happened."

"We talked."

"We didn't. We talked over each other. And then we stopped talking for a month."

"I'm pretty sure we both said enough."

Beca shakes her head in disbelief. "Chloe – what is going on? This… I have never seen you act like this before."

"What's going on?" Chloe lets out a bitter laugh, finally putting her mug down. "Beca I am hurt. My heart completely shattered that night."

"And mine didn't?!" Beca watches the volume of her voice, talking lower when she starts again. "Do you think I enjoyed fighting like that? After everything, Chlo…"

"Of course not – and it wasn't what I wanted to be doing either, Beca, but I couldn't… I can't keep living the way that I've been living." Chloe pulls Aubrey's words back to her. "It isn't fair to me, and it isn't fair to you. I meant what I said when I told you that you and the kids are my life – that's why I needed the space. If there is nothing…happening or whatever you want to call it, between us, then I need to figure out who I am outside of being so utterly in love with you that I can't imagine my life without you."

Chloe finishes with a huff, and the tears start falling down both her face and Beca's.

"I…I know it's not fair to you. And I get that. But that's why I said what I said, too. So that I didn't keep hurting you more than I already have." Beca's words are laden with guilt, that of which Chloe hears loud and clear.

And then feels the same amount.

Chloe lets out a sad sigh, sinking back into the state of feeling horrible for leaving Beca the way she did about a month ago, just like she does most nights. "I'm not blaming you, Bec. I get it – I really do. But the way you just… you just shot any sort of possibility down. That's what I was most upset about. You weren't open to that conversation."

"You just told me that you needed space because I couldn't give you an answer. How does—"

"No, I said that I needed space because the answer that you gave me makes no sense and you didn't trust me enough to at least talk about it." Chloe closes her eyes, pressing her fingers into her temples. "If you are not comfortable being in another relationship – if you are not ready to be in another relationship, even if you never are ready – that is one-hundred precent fine. I completely understand that and I completely support you and I will support you in that, no matter what. But not wanting to at least talk about it, deciding that you can't do a relationship because you're afraid to hurt me, without even listening to what I have to say about it? That's not fair. I just—I just wanted to talk about it. I just wanted to actually hear your reasoning and-and I promise I'm not pressuring you, but maybe, just maybe, I could have helped you see that this guilt that you're feeling – it's stopping you from seeing that this could be a good thing."

Beca squeezes her eyes shut, hearing Chloe loud and clear, but her words also being overpowered by the same thoughts rushing through Beca's head that have been since she found out about Chloe's mutual feelings towards her. She takes a deep breath, hearing Chloe about wanting to talk about it, and knowing that it will end up helping her, too.

Beca sticks with honesty, knowing that this is the only way this conversation may be able to save their crumbling relationship – friendship or otherwise. "I'm not ready for a relationship. And I don't know if I'll ever be."

Chloe stares at Beca, who speaks with her eyes closed. She ignores the piercing pain in her chest and asks the question that has been circulating around in her mind for the last month. One that, sure, is perhaps a little selfish, but one that she needs to hear the answer to nonetheless. "You don't know if you'll ever be ready for a relationship, or you don't know if you'll ever be ready for a relationship with me?"

When Beca opens her eyes, they're glassy and bloodshot. There's the slightest bit of hesitation before she answers. She's thought long and hard about this exact thing – both alone and with Dr. Taylor. "Both…kind of. If I ever was ready for a relationship, I don't see myself doing so with anyone besides you. But at the same time, there's a lot to…unpack before I would be able to… to date you."

"Like what?"

Beca scoffs. "Like the guilt that I still feel every time I look at you and remember exactly what I put you through. Like the fear I have for hurting you even more. Like the fear I have for ruining yet another aspect of my kids' life. Like the whole… intimacy thing and the PTSD that I have from being in an abusive relationship. It's… it's a lot, Chloe. That's what I meant when I said I'm a mess. That's exactly why we can't—"

"Stop. Can we just… Bec, you are not a mess. You've been through trauma. You're healing. But you're not a mess."

Beca shrugs, briefly meeting Chloe's gaze. "Sure. Call it that. But it's not the type of healing that will take a month or a year, Chlo. It's… I don't know how long it will take. It will probably never end. I don't want to… keep you waiting, or hoping, or whatever. I don't know if I'll ever be 'healed' enough to be what you deserve."

Chloe shakes her head. "What about what you deserve, Beca? Forget about me for a second – don't you think you deserve to live your life to the fullest? Don't you think you deserve to have a partner that actually loves you and wants to be with you for you? Who thinks you are absolutely amazing and who wants to build a life with you? That loves your kids? You are not some sort of… some sort of object that has to satisfy me or anyone."

Chloe shakes her head, fiddling with her hands and wanting nothing more than to pace or stand or just move – but she has long learned that that would just trigger memories for Beca, and she will not do that. Not now, and not ever. "When we started having that conversation after the baby shower, I didn't think that we were just going to hop into a marriage. I knew that it would take time. I knew that it would take effort, and work – for both of us. Because marriage – any sort of relationship – isn't a one-way street, Bec. It's a partnership. I love you with my entire heart. I have loved you since college. I want absolutely nothing more than for you feel comfortable in your own skin. For you to not feel like you have to constantly look over your shoulder, or still double and triple check the lock on the apartment door every time you get home. Or, at least, know that you have someone that is there to help you do so until you feel comfortable enough not to."

At this point, the tears are flowing freely down Beca's cheeks. Her breath is short and she's digging her nails so deeply into the palms of her hands that she is almost certain that she is going to end up drawing blood. But she's trying so hard to absorb Chloe's words – to listen and understand what Chloe is saying.

But even with the way Chloe is pouring out her emotions in front of her, Beca isn't sure if she can figure out an actual answer.

Because as much as it means to her to hear, the need for time is not disappearing.

"I… I don't know."

Chloe forces a tearful smile on her face, coming to understand, in her own way, what Beca has been saying all along. "And that's okay. Just p-promise me something, okay?"

It takes a moment, but Beca finally nods.

"Promise me that you won't forget everything that I just said? That you won't forget that you deserve everything that life has to offer? And I'll… I'll remind you. I'll still be here. It was selfish of me to just…abandon you when I have always promised that I wouldn't. And I'm so sorry about that. You're my best friend, first and foremost. You're not alone in this, just like you weren't alone from the moment you called Aubrey."

Beca takes a shaky breath, warmth starting to cover her body. "Promise me something, too?"

When Chloe agrees, Beca continues.

"Promise me, that the moment it gets too much - being friends or... something else... The moment you don't want to do it anymore, or the moment…the moment you can't do it anymore, that you'll tell me. That you'll take care of yourself first?"

"Beca, I won't—"

"I'm s-serious, Chlo."

Chloe sighs, eventually relenting. "I promise."

Beca digs her teeth into her lip. "I promise I won't forget what you said."

Finally, Chloe lets out a heavy breath. She reaches over and takes Beca's hand in hers with a gentle squeeze, bridging the chasm that has quickly grown between the two of them over the last three weeks.

She hates that it only feels slightly smaller.

Beca hates the same thing.

But the brunette returns the squeeze and whispers, eyes flicking to Chloe's as she releases her hand, "I hope you know that I wish I were ready. Now, I mean."

Chloe gives her a sad smile, placing her hands back on her lap. "Me too. But it's okay that you're not. I'm not going anywhere – not this time."


Next up... the Epilogue. It will be posted next Friday so I can make sure that it is in tip-top shape.

Thanks so much for reading and for your continued support!