Master of Puppets

Hi Friends, this one was inspired by Dead Silence (2007), the original Twilight Zone series and of course, Chuckie!

Chloe Beale considered herself pretty much a nobody in the Conrad Traveling Circus hierarchy. She was standing firmly on the lowest rung of the ladder, spending her days running errands, doing manual chores, and cleaning out the animal cages. She was also pretty sure the ringmistress, Stacie Conrad, didn't even remember her real name. But Chloe Beale was happy... well, as happy as she COULD be.

It was nineteen-forty, and World War Two was in full swing. So many men had gone overseas, that even the circus was being largely held together by the female performers, along with chewing gum and grit. Part of Chloe loved it. A bigger part of her was terrified that the circus would fold, and she'd lose her job. She couldn't go back to her hometown; couldn't go back to her family... not after she'd been caught in a compromised position with her best friend by her overbearingly religious father. He'd kicked her out with nothing but the clothes on her back at age nineteen, stating that having a queer as a daughter meant he had no daughter at all.

In essence, Chloe had been a nomad since, and that made the job at the circus perfect for her. She got to travel, to see the United States and she was part of the circus family. What more could an independent woman ask for at twenty-two years old? She was musing on that when a voice startled her out of her rhythmic hay raking.

"RED!"

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"C'mere."

Chloe set her rake down and stepped out of the lion cage, wiping her sweaty face and neck with a handkerchief, and running her hand through her red hair to somewhat order the thick strands. Ringmistress Conrad beckoned impatiently to her, and she hurried over.

"How can I help?"

"This is Puppet. She's joining us with a new act." Stacie stepped aside to reveal a petite brunette, dressed in dark leather pants and a black silk shirt. The woman had what seemed like hundreds of ear piercings, and a tattoo of musical notes peaked out from the V of the open buttons of her shirt. Chloe was stunned speechless. The woman was the most beautiful person she'd ever seen.

She swallowed hard as the woman held out her hand and smiled. "Hi... Red, is it?"

"Uh... it's Chloe actually," the redhead replied, returning the smile. "Chloe Beale."

"Nice to meet you, Chloe Beale," the brunette said. "I'm Beca Mitchell."

"Good to meet you too," Chloe nodded as she shook the newcomer's hand.

"Ok, enough chit-chat," Stacie stated. "Puppet's going to be sharing with you for now, Red. Show her where she can sleep and show her the ropes."

"Uh..." Chloe blinked. She already had the tiniest space of everyone in the circus and her bed was basically a single cot. "But I don't have..."

"Make it work! And make sure Puppet feels at home," the ringmistress instructed, then strode away, already barking her next set of orders.

"Well then," Beca said sheepishly as she rocked on her heels. "I guess we're going to be roomies?"

Chloe nibbled on her bottom lip. "Yeah, but... unfortunately... I don't actually have a room as such. I have a tiny space with a cot in one of the equipment caravans."

The brunette nodded slowly, then grinned self-deprecatingly. "Unexpected, but ok. As you can see, I'm small so I don't take up much space."

"Follow me then," the redhead chuckled. "Is that the only bag you have?"

Beca looked down at the suitcase by her feet. "For me, yeah... but I have a trunk too that has Charlie's stuff in it."

"Charlie?" Chloe repeated.

"Oh... right. Yeah, I'm a ventriloquist. Charlie is my dummy. My act is called Puppet & Charlie. People find it funny when it turns out that I'm not Charlie."

The redhead was immediately intrigued, and a grin rose to her face. "I've never met a ventriloquist before," she said. "That's really interesting." She picked up Beca's suitcase. "This way please. We can get Charlie later." She led Beca through the small ring of caravans. "Over there is the bathing caravan. It has a couple of baths and two latrines, separated by curtains. Keeping them clean is part of my job."

Beca made a little face. "How many people actually work for this circus?"

"About thirty currently," Chloe said. "I recommend using the bath late at night, if you can. I clean them last thing in the evening when the last show is on, but each person is supposed to clean their bath out after they use it too. There's also a fifteen-minute time limit during the day."

"Sounds like you and I may be bathing together," Beca chuckled. "Assuming you follow your own advice."

Chloe didn't say anything for a moment as her mind derailed at that suggestion, but then she nodded, clearing her throat. "Yeah... yes... I guess we may." She stopped outside the door of a colorfully painted caravan then and pulled it open. "Welcome home, Beca." She climbed up the steps and ducked inside, glad she kept her space neat as a routine. Stacie required cleanliness and she'd been known to heavily fine staff who didn't keep themselves and their spaces clean. It was dim inside and she quickly lit a kerosene lantern to brighten the interior.

"Huh," Beca said, perching her fists on her hips as she looked around. "You weren't kidding about the space being tiny."

Chloe's cot was in one corner along with a small table and two chairs. There was a trunk next to the table with neatly folded shirts and pants sitting on its lid. The redhead kept her more personal items inside the trunk, including the music and lyrics she wrote each night in a small notebook.

"Sorry," Chloe sighed as she set Beca's suitcase down. "I don't think Stacie's ever been in here. Either that or she has a warped sense of space."

"Hey," the brunette smiled. "Not your fault. You're very kind to let me stay here. Besides, I've slept in much worse places than this. At least it's warm and dry..." She paused as her smile morphed into a smirk. "Plus, my new roommate is so much prettier than my last one."

Chloe blinked as a blush colored her cheeks. "I can only imagine that your last roommate was an ogre then," she replied modestly, unconsciously straightening her tan blouse.

Beca shrugged. "Nope," she replied cryptically. Then she looked around the room again, giving the redhead a reprieve from the intensity of her dark blue eyes. "I think we can work with this if we just make a little better use of the space. What's all this stuff anyway?"

"I'm not sure," the redhead replied uncertainly. "I guess I never asked."

The younger woman rolled up her sleeves efficiently, revealing defined biceps and another more floral tattoo meandering up her forearm. "Help me look? Maybe we can consolidate this stuff into fewer boxes and give us more space."

"Um... I'd love to," Chloe replied. "But I have to finish cleaning out the lion's cage before they bring him back from training. How about you get started and I'll be back in about twenty minutes?"

"That's a plan," Beca grinned. "See you shortly."

The redhead ducked out and the brunette cracked her knuckles as she eyed the space. "Let's see what we have here."

Xx

It was thirty minutes later before Chloe was able to get back and, as she approached the caravan, she laughed a little as she heard muffled swearing come from inside. Then she ducked as an empty cardboard box sailed out through the doorway, narrowly missing her head.

"Uh... Beca? I'd really like to NOT get a head injury during this process," she teased as she slowly climbed the steps, holding her hands up as protection.

"Oh, sorry," Beca chuckled as she came to the door. "I was totally focused. Come see how it looks."

The redhead came inside, realizing that the space was much brighter since her new roommate had managed to uncover another window. "Wow," she said, awestruck. "This looks amazing, Beca!"

The smaller woman had made a significant dent in the stack of boxes, having looked inside them all, finding them a half or quarter full and consolidating the contents into fewer containers. Then she'd moved them to the opposite side of the caravan, making space on the opposite wall to Chloe's, while making sure the vehicle was still balanced. There was room for Charlie's trunk, on which she could stack her own clothes, and her suitcase to hold her more personal items. She'd also pushed the table and chairs over slightly and Chloe realized another cot would fit right next to her own.

"No big deal," Beca shrugged. "Can we go get Charlie now? He doesn't like when he's left alone for too long."

Red eyebrows shot up. "He... doesn't?"

"He gets cranky," the brunette deadpanned, making Chloe grin and nod.

"I see," she said. "Ok, let's go get him. And let's see if we can find a bed for you."

A few minutes later, they were back, carrying the large trunk between them with a folding cot balanced on top, and settling it into the new space Beca had cleared. Then the redhead unfolded Beca's new bed and set it next to her own, reminding herself that she'd have to look for clean sheets and a blanket later too.

The ventriloquist knelt then and took Chloe's hand, gently pulling her down to kneel next to her. "Meet Charlie. He's a bit of an asshole but he'll warm up." She unlatched the trunk and lifted the lid, revealing an expensive looking wooden dummy, dressed in a tuxedo and with a wide smile on his face. Underneath him, other outfits were folded along with a smattering of small props. Chloe shivered a little. It was her first time seeing a ventriloquist's dummy up close and it looked a little creepy. "Hey, Charlie," Beca said softly. "Come on out and meet our new friend, Chloe."

"Wow, she's a babe," a voice replied from inside the trunk, even though Charlie's mouth didn't move. "Never seen blue eyes like those before."

The redhead startled a little and looked at Beca, who was smirking.

"Uh..." Chloe was blushing again, and she rubbed her fingertips against her cheeks. "Thanks?"

The brunette reverently lifted Charlie out of the trunk and positioned him in her lap, checking him for any damage. "You ok, Buddy?" she asked, straightening the lapels of his jacket, then getting her hand settled on his controls.

"I hate that goddamn trunk," Charlie replied, mouth and head moving with every word. "It smells like ass in there."

Chloe watched her new friend carefully, marveling at her skill. Beca's lips were totally still, and her throat was barely bobbing but the words were clearly enunciated.

"Get over it, Dummy," the brunette said then. "It smells like ass in there because YOU smell like ass."

"Not as much as YOU do," the dummy accused indignantly. Chloe laughed and reached out to run her fingers down his varnished cheek. "Keep doing that and I'll show you what REAL wood looks like," Charlie stated with a waggle of his mechanical eyebrows.

Beca held up her little finger and waggled it. "Don't listen to him. He has a tiny dick so he would in no way satisfy you."

The redhead was red-faced and grinning. "Jesus, Beca, is this what your act is like?"

"Oh... no." the ventriloquist chuckled. "It's a lot more kid friendly. But I've done adult-only shows in nightclubs in Paris before. Those were downright dirty."

The older woman nodded. "Sounds... fun," she mused.

"You know, I'm glad you're not a prude, Chloe Beale," Beca smiled. "Because I'm not exactly what you'd call... a lady."

Chloe swallowed and looked down. "I don't have much use for ladies," she said softly. "I... appreciate... strong women."

Beca's eyebrow slowly arched. "You do, huh?" She reached out and pushed the redhead's hair back from her eyes, tucking some errant strands behind her ear. "Me too."

Chloe suspected they were deliberately keeping things ambiguous. She suspected that Beca was... different... too.

Time... and trust... would tell.

Xx

Beca was so tired, she was willing to just sleep on the cot with no bedding, but Chloe shook her head and insisted she wait ten minutes until she was back from one of the other storage caravans. They'd finished clearing up their space and the brunette had finished unpacking. Then they'd shared a meal at the communal campfire where the redhead had introduced Beca to the circus family.

The younger woman was sitting at the small table in their caravan when Chloe came back. "I found some clean stuff. This blanket is actually nice." She spent a few moments making the cot up before looking back to Beca, to find her staring. "What? Is something wrong?"

"No," the ventriloquist said, keeping eye contact. "Just... thank you. For everything. For making me feel welcome and for showing me around and getting me settled."

"We're going to be really fast friends," the redhead replied with a grin. "It's kinda nice to have some company in here actually."

"Keep your paws to yourself, Kitten," a voice suddenly exclaimed from across the space. Beca and Chloe looked at Charlie's trunk. Then Chloe looked at Beca with raised eyebrows.

"Uh..." the brunette swallowed. "Sorry... I..." She frowned and lifted a hand. "Sorry you had to hear that."

The redhead's eyebrow drew together in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Beca rubbed her eyes. "I think I'm..." Then her voice grew softer. "Maybe I'm going crazy."

Chloe grew a little concerned. "I don't understand."

But Beca just shook her head. "Never mind. Just ignore him. He's an asshole."

"Alright," the older woman nodded. "I know you're tired, Bec. Why don't you go to sleep while I take a bath. I assume you'll want to start rehearsing tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Beca agreed. "I need to check the tent out to find the right spot to set up. Is it wired for microphones?"

"It is," Chloe confirmed. "We normally tap into a power line."

"Ok, good," the ventriloquist nodded. "That makes things easier. I can sit center-ring then."

Chloe gathered her towel, toiletries and pajamas and headed for the door. "Sleep well."

"Thanks, goodnight," Beca replied with a little grin. She waited for the door to close before getting changed into her pajamas and curling up under the clean-smelling sheets. Then she looked over at Charlie's trunk. "Don't mess this up for us," she said. "We need this."

"Shut up," Charlie replied. "I won't mess things up if you keep up your end of the bargain."

Beca sighed and closed her eyes. "I will."

Xx

Chloe shivered a little as she climbed the steps to her caravan and slipped inside. The Fall had brought cool winds and she was glad when she was finally able to slip into bed and relax. She chuckled softly as she realized that Beca was starfishing in her cot, arms and legs practically hanging over the edge of the narrow bed. It was one of the cutest things she'd ever seen, next to the brunette herself of course.

Chloe was self-aware enough to know she was attracted to the ventriloquist, and it had been a long time since she'd been Itouched/i by a woman, so as her eyes moved over the sprawled body... over the lines of her muscles, the curve of her breasts and the soft plains of her face... her own body responded, and she had to look away before she couldn't help but take matters into her own hands. She muffled a groan as she rolled over and curled into a ball, screwing her eyes tightly shut and breathing through the wave of arousal.

"Don't even think about it," Charlie muttered from across the room and Chloe gasped in surprise. She sat up and looked at Beca, but the woman was obviously fast asleep, and the redhead shook her head, wiping a trembling hand over her face.

"Jesus, I'm hearing things," she murmured. "Maybe I'm going crazy too."

She felt uneasy but she finally just lay back and gave in to the sleep she was craving, knowing that another day would start again super early for her and wanting to be rested as much as possible.

Xx

"Well, boy and girls," Charlie said cheerfully, looking back and forth with his lifeless eyes. "I love coming to the circus and now I'm so happy to be performing for you all at the best circus in the world. Are you happy to be here, Puppet?"

"I'm so happy," Beca replied with a smile as she looked at her wooden friend. "We've already made good friends here."

Chloe smiled as she leaned against a pole, watching from the empty audience seats. Beca had been rehearsing for a couple of weeks; had been integrated into the main show, and now she felt ready to do her first live one. "Sound is good here, Bec!" she called out. "I'm going to move back further!"

Beca nodded and gave her a thumbs up, so the redhead climbed the tiered seating, heading for the back row. "She has a great ass," Charlie said, microphone echoing his voice.

Chloe looked back over her shoulder with an exasperated roll of her eyes as Beca slapped Charlie's shoulder. "You know...!" she called back. "If you want to ask me on a date, you could just do it, Bec!" she teased. "Charlie doesn't have to be involved!"

"Wouldn't want to step on his toes," the ventriloquist replied. "He fancies you."

"Never would have guessed!" the redhead reached the back row and straightened, holding up her hand.

"How does this sound," Beca asked. "Is it clear enough?"

"Yeah! Sounds good!"

"Thanks, Chloe." Beca turned off the mic, got up and set Charlie down on her seat, then came to meet the redhead as she trotted back down to the ring. She paused awkwardly as Chloe smiled at her. "Listen, I know I've been teasing you and... um... I know we just met a couple weeks ago, but I kinda feel like we're..." She swallowed, screwing her bravery into place. "The same... but if I'm wrong..." She stopped again, lifting her hands and dropping them.

"Beca," the older woman said softly. "Just so there's no misunderstanding... I like women." The look of relief on the brunette's face made her chuckle. "So, like I said... Charlie doesn't have to be involved."

Bec's smile fell a little, but she nodded. "He... um... he gets jealous... of me... dating."

Chloe tilted her head in question. "What do you mean? He's not real..."

"He is," the ventriloquist interrupted, keeping her voice low. "He has a mind of his own, Chlo."

"Beca." The redhead barked out a laugh. "Stop fooling around."

For a long span of heartbeats, Beca stared at her. Then she sighed and nodded. "Ok, sorry."

Chloe felt bad though and she reached out to take the younger woman's hand, caressing her thumb over the soft skin. "But I bet he feels real to you," she added. "You two have been together a while, right?"

"Yeah," Beca replied. "He's been in my life for a long time. Years."

The redhead nodded in return and then stepped a little closer. "Well, now that he's out of earshot, maybe you could ask me on that date? I know a great picnic spot within walking distance."

Beca tugged a little on their joined hands, easing Chloe closer to her. "Sounds like you just asked ME," she teased gently.

"I guess I did," the older woman grinned. "What do you say?"

"I say my afternoon is free now that I've finished rehearsal."

"I have some stuff to do but... how about we meet back at the caravan at three?"

The ventriloquist nodded happily. "Three it is." She squeezed Chloe's hand before leaving with a smile, heading back into the ring to collect Charlie and carry him away with her.

The redhead couldn't stop the beaming smile from lighting her face as she grabbed her rake and headed toward the elephant enclosure.

Xx

"Whore!"

"Charlie stop!" Beca exclaimed as she changed into a fresh shirt and slipped a leather jacket on over it. "My personal life is none of your business."

"She'll take you away from me!"

"Come on!" the brunette rolled her eyes, looking over at the dummy who was perched on top of his trunk. "I'm still here. After all these FUCKING years, Charles. I'm still here."

"You like her, I can tell."

The ventriloquist brushed out her hair, leaving it flowing freely around her shoulders. "I do like her. She's beautiful and kind and smart."

"You want to fuck her!"

Beca didn't dignify that with an answer and just dabbed some perfume at her pulse points. "It's just a picnic," she said then. "And you're staying here."

Beca froze as a knife sailed past her head and embedded itself in the wall next to Chloe's mirror. "I'll kill her."

The brunette was about to reach out and grab the knife when the door opened and Chloe came inside, immediately smiling when she saw her friend. "Hey, you look gorgeous."

"She cleans up well," Charlie said sweetly. Beca blinked but didn't say anything.

"She sure does," the redhead agreed. She moved quickly to her trunk and grabbed a fresh blouse off the pile, but she froze when she saw the knife sticking out of the wall. "Uh... Bec...?"

"Oh, sorry about that," the younger woman replied. "I was thinking of adding knife throwing to my act and wanted to see how it felt." Beca almost winced at the ridiculous excuse, but Chloe shrugged, having no reason to think she was lying.

"Oh... interesting. A knife-throwing ventriloquist. I'm pretty sure there aren't many of THOSE in the world."

"Probably not," the brunette agreed.

"Well, give me ten minutes to wash up and change," Chloe grinned. "I made some chicken sandwiches and bartered for some lemonade. We're eating like queens this afternoon." And then she was gone again, towel and toiletries in her hand.

Fifteen minutes later, they were strolling out of the camp, carrying their picnic supplies and heading for a spot the older woman had found during one of her many solitary walks. It didn't take long for Beca's hand to find hers and lace their fingers together. "Is this alright?" she asked, a little shyly.

Chloe tucked her other hand around Beca's elbow, pressing closer to her. "It's more than ok," she replied.

"I feel very honored to be going on this date with you, Chloe."

"Awwwww," Chloe grinned. "You're very sweet, Bec. And I feel the same way."

It didn't take them much longer to find a nice spot of grass and Beca laid out their blanket and basket before settling down on her back, gazing up at the sky. Chloe joined her, their upper arms pressed together.

"That cloud looks like a duck," the brunette said after a moment of quiet, pointing at the white formation.

"Oh yeah?" Chloe replied, tilting her head. "Looks like a rabbit to me."

Beca tried again. "How about just a bird?"

"Yeah, I can see a bird." The redhead turned her head to look at her date, only then realizing how close they actually were. Beca's dark blue eyes were almost stormy, and it made her suck in a breath. But then the younger woman smiled and looked away shyly. "Um..." Chloe swallowed and looked back at the sky too. "It's a blackbird."

"How can you tell?" Beca asked. "I mean, it's all white, right?"

"I dunno. It just feels like it," Chloe murmured. Their eyes met again, the brunette marveling at how her light blue irises were sparkling in the sunlight. "Sometimes things just feel... right."

"Yeah," the younger woman breathed. "Chloe... I want..." she began, then stopped and swallowed at the hunger in the older woman's expression. After two weeks of sleeping in the same room, changing in front of each other and bathing at the same time, the redhead's desire was more than she could handle. She hoped Beca felt the same way.

"I need to kiss you," she said huskily. She rolled onto her hip and one forearm and leaned over her date. "May I?"

"God yes," the brunette replied, voice slightly raspy too. She reached one hand up and threaded her fingers into soft, red hair, easing the older woman's face closer. "You're so fucking beautiful."

Chloe whimpered softly and leaned in closer, her hair forming a curtain around them to keep the world out. "You too," she whispered.

Beca lifted her head to meet her and when their lips finally connected, she couldn't help but moan into it. Chloe's lips were so incredibly soft and supple, and Beca drew her closer, resting her head back on the blanket as she brought her free arm around the older woman's neck. She felt Chloe shift a tad and their chests came together as she deepened the kiss, tongue flicking out to beg for entrance. Beca moaned again, parting her lips and meeting the redhead's tongue with a strong stroke of her own. She heard Chloe inhale shakily through her nose and settle a little more weight on her as the kiss went on and Beca just deepened it further wanting to taste every inch of her date's mouth.

Chloe had never been kissed like this before; had never felt so much need and longing from a partner and she returned it all and then some. Kissing Beca felt like sunlight on a dark day... like drinking from a cool well after being thirsty for years... like coming home to something so familiar she would know it even with her eyes closed.

"Fuck," she gasped as she separated their lips for just a moment to suck in some air. Then she went back for more, letting her hand wander a little down the younger woman's body. Beca held her tighter, pulling her impossibly closer as her hips bucked up and Chloe knew that the younger woman needed her as much as she needed Beca. "I want you," she murmured into a slightly pink ear as she captured its lobe between her teeth and nibbled softly on it. She was aware that they were technically in public, that a car could roll by at any point, but she didn't really care. She wanted to taste Beca's skin, to feel her come around her fingers.

"Chloe," Beca shuddered. "Holy shit." She captured the hand that was about to settle on her breast and held it, feeling it still under her touch. "Wait..."

The redhead drew back a little, touching their foreheads together gently. "Sorry, I'm sorry," she breathed, chest heaving.

"No... I... I want this too," the brunette replied. "But we can't here."

Chloe lifted her head again, grinning a little. "Plus, this is our first date. We probably should wait until..."

"We get back to the caravan?" Beca impishly finished for her.

The redhead laughed this time. "I was going to say our second date... but that works too." She rolled back onto her back, trying to catch her breath. "That was... Phew!"

"Sure was," the ventriloquist agreed with a little chuckle. "Damn, Chloe." She couldn't help but roll onto her side to steal another gentle kiss, feeling Chloe smile into it. "You're a terrible kisser."

"You too," the redhead deadpanned. "Let's never do that again."

"'Til the next time," Beca added.

"'Til the next time," Chloe agreed. She sat up then and pulled the basket a little closer. "Let's eat before I decide I'm hungrier for something else."

"Oh, I've already decided," the brunette teased, running her hand up her date's thigh. She just left it there as the redhead passed her a plate with two sandwiches and a bottle of lemonade that was a little too tart to be enjoyable. It all hit the spot though and when they were finished, they lay back down, Beca cuddled against Chloe with her head pillowed her on shoulder.

"This may be the best day of my nineteen year long life," Beca said softly as Chloe's fingers gently sorted through her dark hair.

"Why?" the older woman asked, wondering if her date was about to admit that she was a virgin.

"I almost got to homebase on a first date," the brunette grinned, dispelling THAT thought. "That's never happened before. Normally it's third or fourth."

"But the date's not over yet," the redhead replied with a little wink. "There's still time to make that dream come true."

They were quiet for another moment, then Beca smiled. "Tell me everything about you?" she requested.

Chloe closed her eyes and took a breath. "Well... I was born in Portland, Oregon..."

Xx

Chloe and Beca had made out more that afternoon, savoring each other and barely able to hold back, so, when they'd reached their caravan and slipped inside, Chloe had unceremoniously dropped the picnic supplies and was already kissing Beca when the door of the caravan closed behind them. She pushed the brunette gently against it, letting her hands wander down her chest, fingertips teasing over her collarbones and lower to cup ample breasts and caress stiff nipples that were clearly visible through her silk shirt. The redhead eased her thigh between the ventriloquist's and pressed into her.

"Chloe," Beca moaned. "God..."

"This is ok, right?" Chloe asked around the earlobe between her lips. "I mean... if you want to stop..."

Beca's response was to flip them and shove the older woman hard against the door, making her groan with arousal. Then her hand was wasting no time in making its way down the front of the redhead's pants.

"SLUTS!" Charlie said loudly from across the room. "DYKES!"

Chloe frowned. "Beca... what...?"

"Charlie... shut the hell up!" the ventriloquist exclaimed.

"I knew you wanted to fuck her!"

Chloe was annoyed now, and she pushed the younger woman away. "Beca, that's enough!"

"Chloe, it's not me, I swear. I tried to tell you. He has a mind of his own."

"She doesn't believe you. No one ever believes you," the dummy said cruelly. "Everyone just thinks you're crazy. You ARE crazy!"

Tears spilled down Beca's cheeks. "Please stop. Please."

"Beca, hey," the redhead said softly, taking her friend's face between her palms. "Talk to me."

"He's right," Beca said. "No one ever believes me."

"She's a slut," Charlie said, drowning out the younger woman's voice.

Chloe gasped then as she realized Charlie and Beca had spoken at the same time. "Wait..." she said, frowning in confusion. "What the hell?" She released the ventriloquist and strode across the room to pick the dummy up and look at him closely.

"Scared yet?" Charlie asked in a menacing tone and Chloe watched as his eyebrows, eyes and mouth moved of their own accord.

"Beca, where the hell did you get this thing?" she asked.

"It's an old family heirloom. Every generation, one of the female family members is tasked with taking care of him. My mother gave him to me. We can't get away from him."

The redhead scoffed. "That's some Boris Karloff shit," she said incredulously. "Let's just destroy this asshole."

But then she gasped and looked down as pain shot through her. A bloodstain was spreading across the front of her blouse and the handle of a knife was protruding from her side. "Oh shit," she said as her knees gave out and she dropped onto the floor, dropping the dummy too in the process.

"Chloe!" Beca screamed, running to her and catching her before her upper body hit the wooden planking.

"Asshole stabbed me," the redhead said indignantly, pulling the small knife out and tossing it on the floor next to her.

"Told you I'd kill her," Charlie said as he sashayed nearer, brandishing another much larger knife. His cheek and tuxedo were blood stained and he had a maniacal grin on his face that Beca had never seen before. "This is YOUR fault, Mitchell. You didn't keep up your end of the deal."

The ventriloquist held her friend in her lap, keeping pressure on the wound. "You're going to be ok, Chlo, I'm promise," she whispered. "You have to be. You promised me a second date."

A small smile lifted the redhead's lips. "I'm pretty sure I promised you more than that." She coughed and shook her head. "I'm ok. I think it's just a flesh wound."

"I can fix that," Charlie growled, moving closer and trying his best to be menacing at not quite three feet tall.

"Fuck you," Beca growled right back. She gently lay Chloe on the floor and got up, dodging the knife the dummy was swiping at her legs. He took a flying leap at her chest then, but she caught him mid-air, falling backwards over one of the cots and landing on her back with Charlie on top of her. "Get off me!" The knife was dangerously close to her throat and the dummy was superhumanly strong as he pressed down. "Fuck!"

"Fuck fuck fuckity fuck," Charlie gleefully sing-songed as he pressed down harder against Beca's hold. "Fuck fuck fuckity fuck."

"Hey, Charlie!" Chloe exclaimed.

The dummy's head slowly swiveled a hundred and eighty degrees to look at her behind him. "Yeeeees?" But then his eyebrows shot up and his mouth fell into a grimace as he realized the gorgeous human female was holding a baseball bat in a practiced stance.

"Shut the hell up, Dummy!"

"Oh shit," Charlie sighed as the redhead swung the bat, taking his head clean off his neck and sending it rolling away behind some boxes.

"Asshole," Chloe muttered then, wincing with pain and pressing her hand against her wound as the dummy's body collapsed bonelessly on her date.

"Jesus Christ, are you ok?" Beca asked as she shoved the wooden parts off her and scrambled to her feet. She helped her friend to a chair to sit down.

"Find the head, Bec," the older woman said. "We need to burn it."

"Ok," the ventriloquist said and quickly located Charlie's head behind some dumbbells, juggling it in her hands and dropping it again as it tried to bite her. "Jesus, Dude! Stop!"

"I'll never st..." Charlie's voice was choked off as Chloe hit the head with the bat again, separating the jaw from the hinges.

"This guy just doesn't know when to shut up." She said as she painfully bent over to pick up the pieces. "Grab the body, Beca. Let's take it out to the campfire."

"Gladly," the younger woman replied as she retrieved Charlie's body. "But just let me get a bandage on that wound first." She ripped some strips off one of the sheets on her cot and made a pad, which she pressed against Chloe's wound and secured with another strip tied around her slender waist. Then they carried Charlie-pieces out of the caravan and brought them to the communal campfire.

"What are you going to do now?" the redhead asked. "A ventriloquist needs her dummy."

Beca shrugged. "I can get another one," she said. "Or make one? Out of a sock maybe? And sing too? Sockapella?"

Chloe laughed and made a mouth with her hand. "Aca-Genius," she said, making it speak for her.

"Ok." Beca took a deep breath and then tossed all the wooden pieces of Charlie into the fire. For a moment there was silence but then the pieces started screaming unintelligibly, making them both wince.

"Jesus," Chloe complained, rubbing her ears. "That wasn't pleasant. How long was it in your family anyway?"

"I'm not sure. It's been there for as long as our family tree has been recorded."

"And no one thought to throw it in a fire, Becs?" the older woman asked incredulously.

The ventriloquist swallowed. "Uh..."

Chloe's face fell. "Did we just make a big mistake, Baby? Did we just release a terrible evil into the world from its container?"

"That's a tad overdramatic, don't you think?" the brunette said with a shrug. Then they both shivered as an evil sounding cackle echoed around them. "On second thoughts, maybe not."

The redhead sighed and bent a little as her wound hurt more intensely. "I think I need a doctor," she said.

Beca nodded. "Let's go into town and see if there's a hospital. You probably need stitches."

"Yeah," Chloe replied as she suddenly felt faint. "We should go now before I keel over."

"You got it, Doll."

Xx

A year later, it felt like a lifetime had passed since Beca had been freed from Charlie's curse. She'd gotten herself a new, well-behaved dummy and was happily living life with Chloe under the Big Top they both loved. They also loved each other, and their relationship had just gotten stronger over the course of the year. They'd had to take their time in the end, going on low key dates together as Chloe's wound had healed, but it had been absolutely amazing when they'd finally been able to physically express their feelings for each other.

It had been the best night of both their lives, making love for the first time in the quiet dimness of their caravan, lit only by candles and their single kerosene lamp. Stacie, when the gossip had gotten to her that they were lovers, had arranged better quarters for them and they had a perfect home together now with an actual bed big enough for them both. The circus was the one place they could be different together without being afraid, and they each gave thanks for it every single day.

Despite the hold Charlie had had on her family for generations, Beca couldn't regret it, because it had brought her to Chloe. They were soulmates; the person the other loved most in the world.

And what more could independent, twenty and twenty-three-year-old women want? Chloe mulled that over as she raked the lion's cage.

"Hey, Bec," she said as she watched her lover amble out of the ring toward her. "How do you feel about having kids?"

Beca just grinned.