As Chloe walked down the corridor past the nurses station, she could vaguely make out the sound of a rather disgruntled conversation coming from Beca's room.

Over the past two weeks, they had been able to clear Beca's system almost completely of infection, significantly reducing the quantity of drugs she had been under since she arrived in Georgia.

However the reduction in drugs meant that Beca was now much more alert and in control of her senses, and with that came the crushing weight of reality dropping down on her like a tonne of bricks.

The first time Beca became properly aware of her physical state of being, she had kicked everyone out of her hospital room, including Chloe.

No longer comforted by the numbing effect of the drugs that had been coursing through her system, the soldier was struggling to deal with the rush of emotions that came with seeing herself in the light of day again.

She was pushing everyone away, the unsound logic being if she couldn't stand to look at or live with herself, why should anyone else be subjected to it.

But Chloe wouldn't be deterred. She had spent two years grieving the love of her life, thinking she would never see her again. Never hold her, kiss her, exist in the same world as her. But here she was being given that chance to make things right, to make amends and she wasn't going to back down now. Not when she finally had her back.

Stepping inside the room, Chloe became aware of the situation and understanding set in. A frustrated looking nurse stood at the foot of the bed having prepared herself to help the bedridden soldier bathe.

But even with her head turned away facing out the window, Chloe could see the furrow in Beca's brow and it was enough to make her intervene.

"Hey," Chloe said stepping into the room and grabbing the attention of the nurse who gazed back at her.

"Could you give me a minute with her? Please?" Chloe asked, eyeing the nurse with a look that told her she would try fix the situation. The nurse took a step up to Chloe so she could speak quietly to her, the two women edging themselves back towards the door.

"Ms. Beale I have to help her bathe, it's hospital policy," the nurse started and Chloe nodded her head and stuck her hands out to stop her.

"I know and I get that, I'm not arguing with you I just," Chloe trailed off gazing back towards the bed before focusing back on the nurse.

"Maybe I can help her wash?" She suggested and the nurse looked ready to reject the idea, knowing full well that as Beca was in the ICU she couldn't allow a visitor to do so. Chloe sensed this and continued.

"I know there are policies in place for patient care, I get that, it's just, she's really struggling with," Chloe cut herself off gesturing up and down her body to indicate what she meant and the nurse nodded in understanding.

"I know I can't help her shower because of protocols with lifting and care and stuff, but maybe, maybe I could talk to her, make her feel more comfortable and maybe help her just at the very least wash from the bed to freshen up."

The nurse gazed back and forth between Chloe and her patient and heaving out a reluctant sigh, she threw her hands up.

"Fine. But you are only to do a basic wash, no lifting or anything too intense," the nurse replied and Chloe nodded rapidly in response.

"I'll go get some things for you and be right back."

Chloe thanked the nurse profusely and watched her leave before striding into the room and removing her handbag, hanging it on the chair next to the bed as she took a seat.

"You can't keep doing this Bec. They just wanna help," Chloe said, and Beca just swallowed thickly around the lump in her throat, eyes welling with tears.

"I don't want it," she gritted it out through a clenched jaw, refusing to look at Chloe as she spoke. Chloe sighed.

"Beca, I get that it's hard but….," before she could finish what she was saying Beca's eyes bore into with such fury.

"Hard? You think it's hard? LOOK AT ME!" Beca shouted as she gestured down to her own prone form, startling Chloe.

"Do you know what it's like to wake up and not even recognise your own body? To see your own reflection and not recognise the person staring back at you? I'm a mess!"

A tear escaped Chloe at this as she watched Beca fall apart right in front of her eyes. She had been there the moment Beca had been at her full senses for the first time since returning home and realised something was wrong.

The moment she realised that the legs she could still feel, that her brain still processed as being part of her, were gone. That she would forever bear the physical disfigurement of what she had been through.

But knowing Beca and knowing how likely she was to shut herself off so she could stop feeling, Chloe knew better than to sugar coat her words or try and pummel her with positive affirmations. She knew that the only way to get through to her was to hit her with cold hard facts.

"Yeah, you are," Chloe said as she wiped away the tear that had slipped down her cheek and nodded her head.

"I mean look at you, can't walk, can't stand, can't lay on your back without feeling the initial sting of a scar that hasn't healed yet. Hell you can't even eat a solid meal," Chloe shot back, watching as Beca stared back at.

She could see the hurt and anger swirling in Beca's eyes as she spoke. She could also see the shock and she knew she was getting somewhere.

"And you're right I don't know what you've been through and I can't possibly understand what it is you're going through, but you know what Beca, at least you get another chance," Chloe said, levelling her with a fierce gaze.

"You know how many soldiers don't get to come home. Don't get a second chance at life? Do you know how lucky we are that we're here right now?"

Beca scoffed at this cause she sure as hell didn't feel lucky and Chloe doubled down.

"I stood at our front door and listened as two soldiers told me that you were never coming home again," she said, her own anger at the situation bubbling up in every word.

"I stood by your grave and watched them lower your coffin in the ground thinking that I would never see you again. That everything we ever planned, our future, was gone. And I lived with that pain every single day that I had to live without you."

Beca at least had the good sense to look ashamed at this. Because the truth was she had never really taken into consideration what Chloe had been through and the redhead drove this point home.

"I may not have the physical scars or wounds to show the world what I've been through, but just because you can't see them doesn't mean they aren't there. But you know what? It was worth it."

Chloe rubbed the back of her nose in her sleeve, as the tears came thick and fast now.

"It was worth it cause it brought us here, together. Millions of soldiers have died for their country but for some reason, I get to have you back and I'm not gonna sit around and let you wallow in self loathing for the rest our lives. So suck it up!"

Chloe's face was red by the time she was finished and Beca was just laying their silently against the pillows stacked against her headboard.

In that moment the nurse returned to the room holding a basin of warm soapy water, with towels and wash cloths hanging from her arm. She glanced between the pair until eventually, very softly, Beca tipped her to indicate that she would co-operate.

Placing the items on the table at the end of the bed Chloe thanked her as she removed her jacket and pushed up her sleeves, the nurse exiting the room after giving Chloe some basic instructions.

Picking up a sponge and a wash cloth, Chloe placed them in the water and then placed her hands either side of the basin and gazed up at Beca.

"Ready?" She asked, and was rewarded with a very faint "yeah" in return.

It was a small win. But a win non the less.