CHAPTER 4

The following day, when Chloe opens her eyes, she is momentarily disoriented since the ceiling is not what she is used to seeing. Sunlight streams through the blinds, and she wonders what time it is. She isn't in her own bedroom, and the minor pain in her head makes it hard for her to think.

She rolls over to discover the back of a brunette woman sleeping beside her. Her wavy hair reminds Chloe of a veil cascading down over bare shoulders as she lies on the pillow. The woman's pink lotuses tattoo on her right shoulder draws her attention, and she realizes this woman is topless. That she could be, in fact, nude, but Chloe is too flabbergasted to check under the duvet to find out.

"Oh my God, what…?" she shrieks, covering her mouth with her hand as she knows only one person with that kind of tattoo. "BECA?"

The woman stirs and turns slowly around. And it is Beca. "Morning," she greets groggily, rubbing her eyes.

"God, did…?" Unable to even construct the question, Chloe feels her face blanch, she stammers, "D-Did we…?"

"Did what?"

"Did we have… sex?" she whispers behind her hand, mortified at the notion.

She can't remember exactly what happened after they got drunk at the nightclub. Everything is blurry in her head—the people, the music, Beca's body dancing close to hers. She knows they had fun, talked about stuff, and danced together, but she can't remember the moment she slept with another woman. Who is, in fact, in a relationship. Her friend. Beca.

She knows they went back to Beca's apartment, stumbling and giggling, and drank a half bottle of wine afterward. And she remembers that she somehow managed to put pajamas on and fell asleep immediately. Looking down on herself, she discovers she is still clothed. Wearing Beca's PJs. She, herself, isn't nude, which would suggest that nothing happened. She didn't sleep with Beca.

Not that the notion of it sickens her, quite the contrary. Um, yeah… Her cheeks blush. Beca is, after all, attractive. Always found her attractive from a platonic perspective. But Beca is in a relationship with someone else. And it would make Chloe a horrible person if she slept with Beca. It's callous. But then again, it's not her, Chloe's, relationship. It's Beca's. She is the person who is responsible for not breaking the rules of her relationship, not—

"Dude, no," Beca interrupts her train of thought and pulls the duvet up to cover her chest. "It got so hot during the night. I took my top off. I was, like, sweating profusely. Sorry." She leans over and pulls her pajama top out of the drawer, putting it on under the duvet covering her. Beca being Beca, given they'd already seen each other naked before… "You want some breakfast?"

"No, thanks. I got to go." Chloe sits upright and checks the time on her phone. It's not even 7 a.m. But she still needs to shower at home, then head to the animal shelter. She sits upright, holding her head and trying to remember what else has happened.

Images of soft lips on hers enter her mind, and she touches her mouth at the thought. Gazing over her shoulder, she sees Beca getting up and stretching out like nothing out of the ordinary happened. Like she didn't cheat on her boyfriend with Chloe. Even if it was just a kiss. Beca looks behind her and catches her staring; she smiles uncertainly.

"You sure you don't want to have breakfast?" she asks again.

Chloe shakes her head, smiling back. "Thanks, that's nice of you. Maybe next time."

*,*,*

"This is the last time." Chloe placed the beer bottle on the table and murmured blearily, giggling as she sagged back on the couch. Everything was a blur, and the jumble of voices around her made her head throb even more. "Last time… Last time I got…" she slurred, unable to think straight and focus. Never again would she want to get this drunk. Ever. Again.

She went to the Summer party organized by the Sigma Beta Theta fraternity, to which every club member at Barden University had been invited. To cover the cost of the booze, everyone chipped in a few dollars. People were chatting, some were singing, and others were making out or grooving to the music blasting from every speaker. Some people were even swimming in the pool with their clothes on. Couches had been set up in the backyard by the swimming pool for lounging, with a campfire burning to keep nearby people toasty.

"Last time, what?" the person beside her asked, his voice raspy. She couldn't recall exactly when someone dropped next to her as she tried to focus on the face. Short, trimmed hair, styled up, smelling of musk, cigarettes, and booze. And she couldn't recognize that hazy scruffy face. This guy, Chloe guessed was from another college as she'd never seen him before, put his hand on her knee and smirked suggestively at her. She jerked away, shoving him, but being too weak and exhausted, it didn't have an impact.

"Don't," Chloe groaned in annoyance, her voice cracking because of her dry throat, trying to squint her eyes to see his face, adding threateningly, "I have a boyfriend."

As if this were enough to discourage scumbags like him. Every time she wandered away from her friends or, this time, away from her boyfriend, she got hit on by some guys. In this kind of state, others would try to touch her inappropriately, just like this pervert. It was irritating. No woman was ever 100% safe, especially not at a party. Especially not this drunk.

When she was single, and at parties, she enjoyed making out with male strangers she thought attractive. Only under such conditions would she be open to physical contact—by mutual attraction. And only if both parties consented would such conduct be judged acceptable.

"Chloe!"

When she heard her name, Chloe cocked her head to gaze in that direction. The dirtball seated next to her seemed startled as someone approached them, and he jerkily removed his filthy hand from her thigh before staggering off the couch.

She was sure she recognized the woman. Recognized her long brunette wavy hair and frantic voice as belonging to someone she knew.

"Here you are!" she heard the woman say, standing in front of her. "God, I've been looking for you everywhere."

The brunette tilted Chloe's chin up with her hand, brushing her hair aside from her eyes. "Dude, you're totally fucked up," she remarked with a smirk. Now, Chloe knew who it was. Only Beca smelled so good. And only Beca called her 'dude.' But Beca didn't typically initiate touch, so Chloe assumed she must be drunk enough now to touch her. "Did you know that fucking bastard? And where's Tom?"

"No, dunno," Chloe slurred and looked around her drowsily, her head feeling heavy. Her arms sagged beside her, feeling heavy like a lead weight, so her head dropped back against the backrest as she stared at the dark sky.

What a beautiful, clear sky.

"And where's Tom?" Beca asked again, slumping down beside her.

"Left hours ago," Chloe replied with a grunt, turning her head to face the newly appointed captain of The Barden Bellas. Beca would be taking over the group, and Chloe had no doubt they'd be successful with her as the leader. "I don't care 'bout him. Wanna dance?"

Beca regarded Chloe with an eyebrow lifted, eyes darting all over her face in search of any sign that Chloe had gotten into another fight with her boyfriend. "God, what happened this time?" She rubbed her head, flabbergasted, remembering all the reasons Chloe and Tom had been arguing. But after those times, Chloe had always been inconsolable. Now she didn't feel a single thing.

"And I'm not gonna dance with you," Beca laughed, looking uneasily at her. "You can barely hold your head upright."

Chloe giggled and swatted her. "Bet I can."

After a moment, while Beca remained sitting beside her, smirking at her, she said with a cock of her head, "C'mon, I'll walk you home." She grabbed Chloe's wrist, pulled her up, and draped her arm over her shoulder to support her body. But Chloe kept losing her balance, swaying sideways, and they staggered together. "I'm not gonna carry you, dude. C'mon, get moving!"

"Beca, no," Chloe slurred, her head hanging, the ground spinning and making her nauseous. How much did she even drink?

They walked across the lawn, around the fraternity house, and passed people. Someone called after them, "Hey, Beca," it was Stacie's voice, "is she all right?"

"Yeah, just wasted," Beca called back. "Mind helping? She's heavy."

"Meanie, Beca!" Chloe mumbled, giggling more. "A totes meanie!"

As Stacie hoisted her other arm, Chloe had difficulty walking since the other brunette was taller than her and Beca; thus, the position was uncomfortable. Because of the angle, her body was crooked, but she didn't bother. As her eyelids closed, she appeared to be nodding out. She really needed a place to sleep. Anywhere. As Chloe felt her body being dragged by her friends towards her dormitory, another person joined them, babbling about the great time they had at the party and her wish to move into a sorority house with her friends. After a moment, Chloe realized that the dreamy voice behind them belonged to Jessica.

Chloe was put on a bed at some point. She was back in her dorm room, but she had no memory of how her friends had gotten her there. Presumably, they ended up carrying her. The room was empty. Likely, her roommate is still enjoying the party. Her roommate, Aubrey. It's safe to assume that if Aubrey found out about this, she'd lecture her again.

Aubrey—her moral compass. Her co-captain for a year of the Barden Bellas. Her best friend since their first day at college.

"You take care of her," one of the women said to the other. Chloe could barely open her eyes, the voices somewhat distorted in her ears.

"What? Why me?" the other squealed in response. Then footsteps leaving her bedroom. An exasperated groan followed. The other women giggling as they left. And the door fell shut.

"Chlo." It was Beca who stayed behind. "You're good, right? If you wanna talk tomorrow…."

Chloe rolled on her back, fiddling with the buttons of her jeans. "Help me take this off, Bec," she murmured, tugging at the hem.

They were friends. They were both women. So, of course, it was okay if a female friend was helping another woman undress. And Chloe had always been quite confident about her body. Beca knew that.

"Jeez, I'll kill you next time you get drunk," Beca grumbled, reluctantly fumbling at the button and zipper. Chloe pushed her hips up slightly so that Beca could pull at the jeans, tugging them down her ankles. She undid Chloe's sneakers, took off her socks, then pulled the pants down completely, dropping everything beside the bed. "Whew, done!" Beca made a theatrical show of puffing up her cheeks, as if it had been an act to pull another woman's jeans down. She covered Chloe with the blanket like she had done so many times before when Chloe had been in a similar state, showing that even in her grouchy manner, she still cared for and respected her. "If you need anything…."

"Beca, the blouse," Chloe mumbled as she lazily ran her finger down the buttons of her top.

Beca rolled her eyes in exasperation but complied, nonetheless.

Beca, who was always the most oblivious to social cues and feelings, unfastened Chloe's shirt buttons while grumbling to herself and acting cranky.

Did she find it annoying to have to undress Chloe?

Did her clumsy fingers tremble because she dared not touch Chloe?

Did the crimson of her cheeks suggest her growing frustration?

Did her gloomy gaze sweep over Chloe's half-nude body because she couldn't stand to see her face?

When she took off Chloe's blouse, Chloe felt her hand reach up to cup her friend's cheek.

"Thank you for everything," she muttered. Beca would never learn the underlying gravity of her statement.

Beca chuckled, patting her arm awkwardly. "What would you do without me, huh?" she asked rhetorically, chuckling to herself in amusement.

Chloe, for some reason, found herself on the verge of tears and genuinely wondering: What would she do without Beca in her life?

She blinked the tears away, trying to steady her breathing. Until her emotions were threatening to erupt like a volcano as she thought about everything: her approaching graduation, saying goodbye to her friends, to Aubrey, beginning a new chapter in her life by moving to Brooklyn, and the recent pointless and draining arguments she'd had with Tom, who had decided that his move across the country would imply their split but that they could "remain friends."

Yet, she would give that all up if it meant keeping Beca in her life.

Chloe threw the blanket aside and, in the blink of an eye, found herself throwing her arms around Beca's neck and drawing her close. Then the floodgates of emotion opened, and she was crying hard.

"Chloe, wha–" Out of reflex, Beca stiffened in Chloe's quivering arms and body, but she made no move to leave, maybe frozen in shock. As she cried, Chloe pressed her face to her best friend's shoulder and held her tighter. She heard Beca say gently, "I'll break his neck! What did that jerk say this time?"

Chloe shook her head fiercely against Beca's shoulder, the skin moist from her tears, knowing who was being referred to. It's not about Tom, she wanted to scream, but she felt too numb to articulate her feelings.

"Please, stay with me," she forced out in a whisper. In the next instant, her lips placed feather-light kisses across her friend's collarbone, inhaling her delicious scent. She nibbled tenderly at her throat, wanting so bad that Beca understood. "Beca, please…"

When it dawned on Beca what was going on, she stammered, "D-Dude, hey, what are you doing?" Her voice showed obvious discomfort, a mix of surprise and horror. She grasped Chloe's arm with one hand, the other pushed herself up off the mattress, but she wasn't exerting any effort to pry Chloe off her. "Chlo, hey, you're drunk. Stop that."

Bracketing the younger woman around the hips with her legs, Chloe refused to release her lock. The sudden outpouring of these emotions was accompanied by a burning desire for Beca. A desire to kiss her everywhere. To touch her everywhere. Yearning for Beca to touch her. The only way that would quench this insatiable craving for her.

She had never had this kind of longing before, and she had no idea whence it came from or how it started. Indeed, she'd always felt… well, a little… horny after a few drinks, but she'd never been horny for another woman until this. She couldn't put her finger on what caused this outburst of desire for Beca that had never existed before.

Or perhaps it had been dormant for quite some time before finally emerging into the light. Perhaps this was compounded by the thought that she would be leaving Beca for good in a matter of days and that this opportunity would never present itself again. It wasn't the alcohol in her bloodstream that was in charge here.

She really wanted her.

Thus, she proceeded to lap at Beca's neck with more urgency now, gave the delicate skin of her throat open-mouthed and desperate kisses and bites, and sucked down hard enough on the flesh to leave marks.

Beca, suppressing a moan, finally let one out with an arch of her back in response to Chloe's sensual assault.

"Fuck, Chloe, don't. We shouldn't…." a breathless Beca whispered. She let out another uneasy chuckle, overplaying her strong involuntary responses to Chloe. Chloe stopped to take a quick breath, eyes closed. Beca may believe that this was nothing more than Chloe's playful teasing or her being hormonal, and hence, nothing to be taken seriously. The brunette lowered her head and spoke into her ear—calm and as patient as she could be, "You don't want this. C'mon, let go of me."

But Chloe didn't let go. She couldn't. She squeezed Beca closer to her and began to rock her hips rhythmically against the other woman, continuing to kiss her skin and licking her throat and neck. But gentler this time. Relishing how Beca's soft skin felt against her lips, how fast her pulse pounded against her mouth, and the throbbing sensation that pooled in her belly and between her thighs. One hand held the back of Beca's head in place, the other sliding under Beca's shirt and fingernails digging across the skin.

When Beca bucked at the touch, Chloe released a contented sigh.

"Oh God," Beca gasped, her resistance subsiding, her elbows digging into the mattress to keep herself upright. "Why…"

"Please, Beca," Chloe pleaded, yet again, giving another delicate kiss below the other woman's earlobe, nuzzling her ear, and releasing a longing sigh into it. "Please…" she breathed.

Beca moved her head to the side to look at her face, their foreheads touching. Dark, heavy-lidded eyes searching for answers. Chloe was holding onto her, not wanting to let go. She didn't want Beca to leave her. Even if it was just for tonight.

"Please, Beca." Her voice was vulnerable, like a single sigh, like her life would end if Beca refused her plea. Breaking and mingled with tears. "Please… I just want to feel something."

"Chloe…"

"Please…"

She cupped Beca's breast, squeezing, to leave little room for misinterpretation. Of what she really wanted from Beca right now.

That she needed her so much right now.

And if the attraction was mutually felt, then, dear God, just this time... Just for tonight…

"Okay..." came Beca's single response.

And the next thing seemed like a sequence of a beautiful dream.

Beca's left hand roamed down her body, their lips barely touching but never kissing. Their eyes still locked. Beca's warm breath ragged against her skin, her body shaking. Her gaze longing and maybe wondering what was happening. If this was really okay. She leaned her face down to Chloe's throat and gave her a delicate kiss, another one on her cheek, the other below her earlobe, breathing hard into her ear before kissing the skin there.

Chloe held her friend tighter, pressing her lips to Beca's cheek as the tears finally stopped, nodding encouragingly. She jerked her hips upwards when Beca's hand finally passed the waistband of her panties, tentative fingers slipping into her slick heat.

Arching her back in pleasure and gasping, all of Chloe's anguish was drowned out by her loud moans.

*,*,*

"No Paws Left Behind" is writtenin red lettering against a white background with a bluish border and a cartoon cat and dog printed next to it.

Chloe walks into the animal shelter and greets Mrs. Anderson, the receptionist—a middle-aged woman in the Caribbean blue uniform. Her hair is almost entirely white, and she wears frameless glasses. Mrs. Anderson once revealed to Chloe that her whole wardrobe typically comprises lilac hues, including her favorite figure-flattering outfits. And that this blue uniform didn't suit her at all. Chloe would describe her as the most compassionate and loving person she has ever encountered.

"Hello, Dr. Beale," Mrs. Anderson greets her back, smiling. The older woman is putting up photos of animals that have gone missing on a whiteboard. Pictures of freshly adopted happy dogs and cats with their new families are shown on another whiteboard. They have a vast collection that encourages adoption.

"How's your daughter doing with college?" Chloe asks as she walks to her drawer to retrieve her belongings. This animal shelter doesn't use tablets, so Mrs. Anderson maintains and organizes everything.

The older woman mentioned the other day that her daughter was unhappy at university and hoped to pursue a career in the theater with the ultimate goal of performing on Broadway. Chloe had listened with genuine interest, sharing that the receptionist's daughter reminded Chloe of someone who had been in a similar situation. But she found something else at college that inspired her to continue, so she opted to finish her degree instead of pursuing her longstanding dream of working for a record label at such a young age. Still, after graduation, she became a music producer, but at least with a college degree.

The receptionist sorts through files of the new arrivals, preparing them for Chloe to check while answering Chloe's question regarding her daughter.

She puts on her white coat, adjusts her badge, and then reaches for the urgent ones.

"But, you know, Dr. Beale," Mrs. Anderson finishes her story with a sigh, "I can't force her."

"I'm sure, everything will fall into place for her." Chloe giggles and reminds the older woman with a smile that she's not a doctor yet. She'd told her this since she started volunteering here in her first year as a vet student.

"You've saved so many helpless critters," the older lady replies with a shrug, preparing folders for the animals' files, "for me, you're a real veterinarian already. And this is your final year, honey. Isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." Chloe grins broadly. Mrs. Anderson smiles sadly, prompting Chloe to say, "I'll still be helping animals, though. No matter what happens."

Mrs. Anderson smiles and nods. "I'm sure you will," she says, "Your first day here is still fresh in my mind. I remember when you seemed so lost, and the vets yelled at you, but you helped where you could and never gave up. Now, look at you," she says proudly.

Chloe blushes. "I'm still getting yelled at," she jokes, and Mrs. Anderson laughs. "That'll never change."

The veterinarian, a balding man in his forties, is already in the kennel area behind the facility, checking over a dog that has been homeless for a few weeks due to his aggressive nature. After his owners had taken him out and abandoned him, he was found by joggers chained to a tree. And because the approximately five-year-old Jack Russell terrier was emaciated and had a severe leg injury requiring immediate surgery, including his aggressiveness when he first arrived, he had to be isolated from the other canines until his behavior improved.

His makeshift shelter comprised a wooden box packed with straw and two bowls of water and food. The entrance is an old tire. He's put on some weight and energy since he was brought here and growling and barking at his caretaker and the vet.

"What can I do, Dr. Jordan?" Chloe asks as she walks up to him, smiling at the Jack Russel terrier. Secretly, she'd named him Copper to tell him apart from the other dogs because of his metallic gold fur.

Dr. Jordan turns around, instructing her to help him hold the frightened, whimpering canine. "He doesn't like getting his shot."

"Who does?" Chloe remarks, greeting Simon with a smile, who's standing beside the vet.

Simon, who is in his late 30s, is a tattooed animal lover with dark hair. This man is the animal caretaker. His grip on the dog's muzzle is tight enough to prevent movement but not too forceful to scare it. Once Copper gets his shot, the veterinarian returns to examine the other animals in the building. Chloe has been tasked with conducting follow-up diagnostic procedures, including a physical examination, on Copper. He is on a prescription diet and medicine, which means a bunch of expenses. The same struggle goes for roughly ten additional canines, twelve felines, and other small animals. Some of this sanctuary's critters and strays need insulin injections every day to stay alive, like Billie and Charlie, a Maine Coon, and a Persian cat.

The expenses are enormous for the animals that need treatment and training to become adoptable.

"Good boy," Simon tells the dog. He looks at Chloe and says, "He isn't neutered, and the surgery should be planned soon. Are you allowed to perform minor surgeries like that?"

"Unfortunately, no, even though I've completed my two weeks CVS rotation training in HQHVSN techniques," Chloe says as she looks at the Jack Russel terrier, then back at Simon's blank expression, "it's the high-quality, high-volume spay-neuter program," she explains with a smile. "And you know I'm only volunteering here; this isn't part of my training. And only under direct supervision and guidance of shelter medicine faculty am I allowed to perform surgery."

"This is bad," Simon says, holding Copper by his collar as Chloe examines him. "Anyway, he has further procedures scheduled, and they cannot be put off any longer."

"We will find a solution." Chloe pets the dog on the stomach and inspects the incision that is covered by the bandage. "You're a good boy." The dog's tail wags, and it makes happy panting noises.

"Looks like he loves you," Simon comments.

"Well, because I didn't inject him with nasty shots."

Chloe is thinking about the overall situation and whether she could somehow use her own savings to help out. The costs quickly increase when trying to feed an animal shelter's many cats and dogs. Utility costs are expensive and must be paid. Money is needed for both routine maintenance and the future development of the building. Prophylactic measures against fleas and ticks, grooming tools, and so forth all cost money.

The unfortunate animal, Copper, would benefit from another donation, at least enough to cover the cost of his upcoming leg surgery. Chloe sighs as she looks sadly at the dog. A lot of things, including new textbooks, would have to be taken out of her budget if she wanted to help him.

This is something she needs help to keep up with permanently.

*,*,*

The next day, Chloe rushes from her study group to the supermarket to stock up on dinner ingredients. It's her birthday, and she's only inviting one close friend to celebrate with her. Well, she isn't the same Chloe she was in college when she would get together with friends and party until dawn. And she wouldn't exactly call it a "celebration."

She doubts that Beca knows the reason Chloe asked her over, maybe only assuming that they'd be hanging out. Still, she decides not to inform her in any event, instead inviting her friend to her apartment only to cook dinner together. Chloe has zero interest in planning a celebration, regardless of the reason. And she needs to save money.

Moreover, she told Beca that she could bring Bella if she wished, and they could crash the night. And since the following day was their day off, they could visit the museum together. Beca told her that Luke would come back the next evening. Therefore, it is unlikely that she will be able to stay longer after the museum.

"What the heck am I doing?" After hanging up with Beca, Chloe groans and wonders aloud while looking through their previous text exchanges from the last several weeks.

Chloe's apartment is spacious enough for a cat because it's primarily empty, save for her bedroom. Beca would only need to bring Bella's bowls and food, and Chloe requested the vet clinic's animal caretaker for the unused scratching post they received as a donation but never used. Even if it were just for a day, the little kitten would be content.

While cleaning her apartment and making preparations, Aubrey phones her to wish her a happy birthday and they both catch up on their lives. Aubrey surprised Chloe with her favorite new perfume, almost crying because she missed her so much. Aubrey is able to quickly change the subject away from anything negative. Thus, the conversation quickly shifts to Chloe's time spent with Beca and their rekindled friendship, about which Chloe is thrilled.

"You sound so happy, Chlo," Aubrey comments without sounding condescending, "I knew she would be useful." Okay, there it is…

"Don't be mean," Chloe chastises her best friend. "She's different from the Beca you used to know. And she's even bringing her cat."

"I always thought she was more of a dog person," Aubrey comments as if stating an observation.

After talking for a while with Aubrey, even asking her how it was going with Jesse, to which she said they were taking it slow, Chloe asks curiously, "Do they still talk? You know, Jesse and Beca?"

"Yeah, they are still friends," Aubrey says, sounding like she's shrugging her shoulders, "but I'm not asking him about her. I thought that would be inappropriate."

"I see."

Shortly after finishing her conversation with Aubrey, Chloe receives a phone call from her parents wishing her a happy birthday. Chloe acknowledged their generosity in sending her a birthday present but said it was unnecessary. They were, after all, already covering her expenditures and vet school expenses.

She asks about their well-being, and they inquire about how vet school is treating her, whether the former roommate's parents have paid for the damaged bedroom, and whether she has found a new roommate, and so on.

"No, there's no new roommate yet. They did, though. They paid for the expenses," she tells her father, "and the bedroom's renovated, like, two months ago. They've covered everything for their daughter."

"Her parents paid for everything?" her father asks, astonished, "Holy cow!"

"They were nice," Chloe says. Despite all she had seen and experienced in her work, she never lost her capacity to speak favorably about other people. Sadly, there is a widespread problem of owners mistreating their animals. "Surely, you would've done the same thing for me, right? You already sent me through vet school and covered my living costs. What if I decided to quit?"

"Do you want to quit, honey?" her mother is on the phone now. "You know, we support you, whatever you decide."

"Mom, I'm not quitting right before my final exams."

"That's good. You love what you do. But honey," her mother pauses, "take it easy, okay?"

*,*,*

An hour later, in the late afternoon, Beca arrives at her apartment, this time carrying a backpack, an additional bag containing her pet's stuff, and a pet carrier. Chloe gives her a hug and a peck on the cheek before grabbing the pet carrier from her.

To realize that it's empty.

"Beca, where's Bella?" she asks in a panic.

"She fled. I couldn't catch her," Beca says with a gloomy face. "Then a car…."

Chloe feels tears in her eyes and looks down at the empty carrier, her chest constricting. "Oh God, no…."

Then Beca says, "Dude, got you!" she laughs. "She's in my hoodie."

As if on cue, Bella's small, round head pokes out from Beca's hoodie, looking sleepily and then meowing.

"Beca!" Chloe hits her angrily and repeatedly on her arm, "that's awful of you! Not funny at all!"

Placing the carrier in her hallway, she takes Bella from Beca's hoodie and cradles her in her arms, kissing the cat's head. Bella purrs softly.

"You mean it was…." Beca says, wagging her eyebrows, "…clawful?"

Chloe giggles and swats her again.

"Dude, my arm's all bruised already."

They sit together on the couch in Chloe's living room and talk about their day, the TV running quietly in the background. Bella is scratching at her new scratching post and excitedly runs around the apartment. Chloe even borrowed a litter box from the animal shelter so that Beca didn't have to bring too much from her home.

"Thanks for everything, and sorry for the trouble," Beca says as she drinks from her glass of coke. "I can help you bring the stuff back to the shelter tomorrow."

"It's fine. No worries," Chloe says as she watches the cat scurry around the apartment, exploring her new surroundings.

Beca asks her how vet school is treating her and how the volunteer job at the animal shelter has been doing. They discuss those topics a bit, the strays that were brought there, the animal's sad and happy stories, and Chloe's responsibilities for those furry creatures.

"If you want, I can take you with me next time," Chloe suggests.

"Oh, I'd love that."

Chloe realizes that Beca hasn't mentioned Luke once since they started conversing. At first, she would mention him on occasion, but as time progressed, she mentioned him less frequently. Even if Chloe asked her directly about him—how he was doing, for example—she would only bring him up if she needed to inform her how long he would be gone. Yet, why does that really matter in the first place?

Their hands fall next to each other on the couch and Beca's finger twitch, maybe involuntarily, to brush against Chloe's. This simple movement causes Chloe's head to feel heated, so she retracts her hand and runs it through her curls.

"You hungry?" she asks, leaning forward to grab her glass from the coffee table to give her hands something else to do before they do funny things.

"Yeah, a little," Beca says, emptying her glass. "You want some red wine?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Chloe replies regrettably, "I forgot to get a bottle." She skipped getting one, so it wouldn't seem like she was planning on a party.

"I got us one," Beca declares with a smirk, walking to her backpack and retrieving the bottle. As she walks back to the couch, she sits closer to Chloe and pours them their glasses. "Fuck wine glasses, right?" She laughs heartily.

Chloe laughs, clinking glasses with Beca. She hopes Beca didn't get the wine because she is aware of the special occasion. But Beca hasn't said anything yet to indicate that she knows it's Chloe's birthday today. Maybe she completely forgot. It's been years, after all, since they'd last spent it together. She doesn't blame her.

"To all homeless animals everywhere," Beca says. "Wishing them loving families. Cheers!"

"Aww, that's so sweet, Bec," Chloe responds, liking how the way Beca's nickname sounds in her head. Exactly what she had called her in college. And her animal-loving nature is one of the many qualities she loves so much about the younger woman. "Bella is lucky to have you."

Later, when they prepare dinner together, Chloe watches as Bella runs around her apartment. The little furball is hunting a toy that Chloe bought from the pet store on her way home. Beca is cutting the scallions and hums quietly a song that Chloe recognizes, remembering when they sang it together with the Bellas on their way to the regionals. A smile forms on Chloe's lips at the memory of it.

"I hopped off the plane at LAX," Beca sings the lyrics quietly to herself, looking over at Chloe with a coy grin, watching her expectantly. Chloe shakes her head, giggling. "Come on, Chlo!"

"No," she replies, feeling embarrassed. She washes the carrots in the sink.

Beca begins again, a little louder this time. "I hopped off the plane at LAX," she sings, urging Chloe. "Dude, I won't stop until you sing with me."

Rolling her eyes and groaning, Chloe feels a little bashful because it's been a long time since she last sang with someone. Beca proceeds with the following line, a bit more coercive now, moving her body rhythmically towards Chloe, "With a dream and my cardigan. Welcome to the land of fame excess (woah). Am I gonna fit in?" She dances and swings her arms, moving behind Chloe.

Like the Bellas did back then when they encouraged Beca to sing with them. She holds a wooden spoon—her microphone—to Chloe's mouth, now it's Beca encouraging Chloe to sing.

Chloe giggles more, laughing, then she sings the lines, very quietly and shyly, "Jumped in the cab, here I am for the first time."

In perfect harmony, they sing with growing volume, "Look to my right, and I see the Hollywood sign. This is all so crazy. Everybody seems so famous."

Chloe sings the next verse, her former confidence returning from her buried past, her inner Bella resurfacing.

"My tummy's turnin' and I'm feelin' kinda homesick. Too much pressure, and I'm nervous. That's when the taxi man turned on the radio."

Beca encourages her with a nod, just as Chloe did when they first sang together. When it was Beca who didn't feel like singing, now they switched roles.

"And a Jay-Z song was on

And a Jay-Z song was on

And a Jay-Z song was on."

Suddenly, Beca takes to the stage, complete with a wooden spoon microphone, and begins belting out the lyrics from the top of her lungs. Chloe has almost completely forgotten how fantastic a vocalist Beca is and how breathtaking it is to hear her perform. She is now much more confident in her abilities as a performer and a singer than when Chloe first met her.

"So, I put my hands up. They're playin' my song; the butterflies fly away. I'm noddin' my head like, yeah."

She grabs Chloe's hand and twirls her around while singing together the rest of the lyrics.

"Movin' my hips like, yeah. I got my hands up; they're playin' my song. They know I'm gonna be okay."

"Yeah, it's a party in the U.S.A."

"Yeah, it's a party in the U.S.A."

They end up entangled from all the dancing and singing when Chloe is suddenly backed against the counter, and Beca's hands are on Chloe's hips, grabbing her for support. Slightly out of breath and giggling a little. Chloe's face blushes when Beca rests her forehead against hers to look into her eyes.

That look on her face seems familiar. Like, that's how she used to look at Chloe before…

Her slightly smaller friend wets her lips and stares at Chloe's lips, then back at Chloe's eyes again.

She can't do this.

Chloe withdraws and tries to collect herself by clearing her throat. She returns to the stove and stirs the casserole, her cheeks warming from the steam.

"That was fun," Beca states as she returns to chopping the scallions, seeming to be oblivious about what actually happened. She sets the wooden spoon down on the counter beside her. "Sometimes I wonder if things would've been different if you'd remained with the rest of us Bellas in college."

"How? You mean like a three-time super senior?" Chloe asks curiously, thinking how ludicrous it sounded. But she has to admit that this thought had crossed her mind before. Her parents probably wouldn't have footed the tuition if she had failed on purpose—three times.

"Yeah, maybe something like that," Beca chuckles, smirking mischievously.

They sat close during their meal together, exchanging anecdotes about their days at work and with their various clients, as well as tidbits about the activities they like in their spare time. Since Chloe noticed Beca looking at her with a goofy smile every time they made eye contact, Chloe knew that Beca had been sneaking glances at her. Chloe's stomach did a little flip every time she caught Beca's gaze.

They both pitch in to clean the kitchen after dinner and load the dishes into the dishwasher. To finish up, Beca is drying the cooking utensils that Chloe has washed. Bella has fallen asleep by the scratching post that Chloe borrowed from the shelter. The kitty clearly enjoys it. In addition, Beca still can't believe that Bella feels at home in Chloe's place.

Being so close to Beca and doing these things with her creates an atmosphere that is strikingly similar to being in a romantic relationship or even out on a date.

But that isn't the case.

And the ring on Beca's ring finger is a constant reminder of that.

Beca revealed to Chloe the other day that Luke had proposed to her when she and Chloe were out partying together. The proposal was before Beca brought her sick cat to the veterinary clinic. Around two and a half months ago. She didn't bring up her engagement until after she'd had a few drinks and felt brave enough to mention it.

Despite this, she got drunk and made out with Chloe in their bedroom while her fiancé was out of town.

Beca places the pots and pans back into the cupboard, then puts her hands on the countertop, watching Chloe rinsing the remaining utensils.

Why did Chloe never notice the ring before?

Beca sees her gazing at her hand, and in response, she curls her fingers together, suggesting that she is self-conscious about the attention. "What's up?" she asks, turning around and crossing her arms, then leaning against the counter with her lower back.

Chloe looks up at Beca's face, shaking her head. "I was wondering when your wedding will be," she lies, using a cheerful tone. She uses the tea towel to dry her hands and the utensils before putting them back in the cabinets where they belong. "Busy with the preparations already?"

"Um…" Beca scratches her chin as if trying to buy some time before she answers, "next year, actually. I haven't done anything yet. No date for it yet, either."

As Chloe tries to pry further details from Beca about the wedding planning, she notices how reluctant Beca is about revealing anything. When there's no way around mentioning her fiancé's name, Luke, she looks uncomfortable and avoids Chloe's eyes; her brows are drawn, and she fiddles with her hands nervously.

Later, while they move back to the couch and listen to music, Chloe resolves not to pry any further about Beca's future husband. As Beca might probably think that she and Chloe aren't that close, it's possible that Beca just doesn't feel comfortable talking about her romantic relationship. Which bugs Chloe somehow. While they appear close in all other aspects, Beca seems to find discussing Luke a sensitive topic. Whatever the reason is...

How could a bride-to-be not be excited about her upcoming nuptials? Shouldn't she be talking incessantly about the preparations she's making for her wedding at all times? Such as the style of bridal gown she has envisioned? The way she imagines the venue, perhaps? All the mundane details that Beca believes Chloe would be interested in hearing about. Beca, who gives the impression of not being completely head over heels in love with her fiancé.

"By the way, before I forget…" Beca says as if remembering something.

She looks at Chloe, then walks over to her backpack, and digs around in it. After taking an envelope from the bag's side pocket, she walks back to the couch and hands it over.

Chloe reaches for it, reading her name written neatly across the front. "For me?"

Beca shrugs and takes a sip from her glass of red wine from earlier. She smiles uncertainly, looking sideways at Chloe.

"May I open it now?" she asks, apprehensive since she knows this can only be an invitation to their wedding, which, if she's being frank, she doesn't want to attend. Beca only invites Chloe because she is courteous and wants everyone to feel welcome. Chloe could get a chance to catch up with the rest of The Bellas if it turns out that the whole group will be attending. They would be dismayed by Chloe's lack of investment in their friendship. She wishes to make it all right again, but too much time has already passed and the bond is completely broken.

And she knows that if she attends the wedding, she'll be forced to see Beca tie the knot with the man she shouldn't be with.

What sort of bitter bitch has she become?

"Yeah, sure," Beca replies.

Chloe cautiously opens the envelope while her brows furrow in concentration.

This is not a wedding invitation at all.

The first thing her attention catches is the name and logo of Hexagon Music Inc., the record label where Beca is employed as a Record Producer. The line beside today's date read:

Pay to the order of: "No Paws Left Behind,"

the animal shelter where Chloe has been working as a volunteer and devoting her whole heart and soul since she started her profession as a veterinarian student. Her eyes pop open when she reads the monetary amount of the check in word form that's being donated:

"One hundred fifty thousand and 00/100."

As memo: "Donation."

Astonished, she stammers as she looks back at Beca, "W-what is this?

Beca clears her throat. "I created a track in my first year in college," she explains with a blush on her cheeks, "and that one got over millions of hits, and I sold it to Hexagon Music Incorporation when I first started working there. The track is still flourishing and doing very well in terms of sales, and I have instructed them to give the proceeds of it to the organization that cares for animals. I figured it would mean a lot to you if that one—" she points at the check where the payee's name is written, "—do garner donations to aid those poor tiny critters."

"But…" Chloe chokes up, hands shaking as she stares at the check again, "it's a 150.000,00-dollar-check, Beca. This is huge."

"That's not everything. The popularity of the track, which has become more in demand for use in fashion shows and other events, will increase its total," Beca says, scratching her cheek. "All the necessary banking information to withdraw the remaining donations is here. It will be available to you in its entirety." She chuckles awkwardly as if it were nothing, as if it were no big deal.

"I don't get it," Chloe says tearfully as she considers how many homeless animals can be helped, as well as the shelter improvements and upgrades, medicine, special diet, expensive food, vet costs, and other expenditures that will be covered by this sum of money.

Saving Copper's life.

Saving Billy.

Saving Charlie.

All of them. "I can't accept this, Beca. Why would you even…"

Then, Beca flashes Chloe a radiant grin that reveals her pearly whites as her cheeks blush, focusing her loving gaze upon her.

"Happy birthday, Chloe."


A/N: Alright, I'll take a poll and see what the readers want to see in the next chapter. To take part, you must be logged in and comment. Please select one! :)
Choices:
1) Move on to the next scene when the sex act is just hinted at. They've fallen madly in love with each another. Beca needs to talk about this with Luke.
2) This grand gesture makes Chloe so happy that she can't resist Beca. (Love scene, minus the smut.)
3) Beca realizes she and Chloe aren't meant to be together, and she marries Luke and they live happily ever after.
4) Beca's guilt over the affair makes her feel that she and Chloe would be better off staying friends than going any further.

If you read this story on ao3, you'd even see the chapter images of it. ;)