A/n: Okay to clear up some things, Aubrey's mom had her when she was really young and then got married and had Chloe in her mid-30s. Making both Aubrey and Beca in their late 30s/early 40s.
Chapter One
Beca was moving the last box into the house, she was helping get her girlfriend and girlfriend's sister settled in because she didn't want to not wake up next to the headmaster and she knew that her son and her girlfriend's sister get along a lot better than she originally thought. The music producer loved that their two families were coming into one. She walked into what used to be her home office, but turned into Chloe's room to Greyson assembling her desk, seeing that her son had already assembled her bookshelf and bed. She leaned against the door and watched how the relationship between her son and her girlfriend's sister worked.
"Do you need help?" Chloe asked softly.
"No, I'm good." He said. "It's almost done."
"If it falls apart, I'm blaming you entirely." Chloe said. "I don't know if I trust your assembling skills."
Greyson looked up from what he was doing, "Excuse you." He said with a face that looked like Beca's when she was jokingly annoyed.
Chloe laughed and messed up his hair, "You know I love you, Grey." She said as she placed books on her bookshelf.
Beca then came in and placed the last box on the floor, "Here's your last box, Chloe." She said.
Chloe looked up, "Oh, thank you, Beca." She said. "I really appreciate all your help."
"What about mine?" Came from the teenager on the floor.
"We'll see if it falls apart on me," Chloe jokingly said back.
Beca smiled, "Well, we're ordering take-out tonight, so I'll be back up when it's here." She said. "I need to help your sister in our room."
The music producer walked out of Chloe's room which wasn't far from her and Aubrey's room where she saw her girlfriend on the ground, crying softly. The brunette immediately rushed over to the blonde, pulling the distraught woman into her lap, rocking her back and forth, not daring to ask her what was wrong, even if she was dying to know.
Beca then saw that there was a picture frame in Aubrey's lap, the music producer gently took it out, looking at it. In the picture, there was a couple in a suit and wedding dress with a younger looking Aubrey standing next to them.
"That's my mom," Aubrey managed to get out. "She was 15 when she had me, she raised me as a single parent, started dating Chloe's dad after I went off to college. They got married when I was 20."
"Did you like Chloe's dad?" Beca asked softly, still holding the woman close.
Aubrey nodded, "He was the dad that I didn't know that I ever needed." She said. "He also gave me the best little sister I could ever ask for." The headmaster picked up the last family picture of the four. Aubrey, a little older, and a 9-year-old Chloe, it was one of those pictures that she remembered getting after Emily was born with her, James, and their daughter. "This was the last family picture ever taken. This was about a month before they died."
"You never really talk about what happened to them," Beca said softly. "You don't have to, but I am kind of wondering."
Aubrey took a deep breath, "They were on their way to pick Chloe up from school," she began, "the girl was kinda mad at them for always working, so they took the afternoon off, and were going to surprise her. They were hit head on by a drunk driver." Aubrey wiped some tears from her eyes and took a shaky deep breath, "It was my first year as headmaster and I had just gotten out of a bad relationship, but I knew I couldn't put Chloe in the foster care system. I had to finish what they started. That's what they would've wanted and every single time I look at her, I see the both of them in her and I try to push it aside because I love my little sister, but I miss my mom and her dad so fucking much. I thought it would get easier to cope, but then I look at these two pictures and I basically lose my shit." Aubrey buried her face in the crook of Beca's neck, "I'm sorry for getting emotional."
"Don't apologize," Beca whispered. "I love you and I want to know how I can be there for you through this, the best I can."
"The anniversary of their death is coming up," Aubrey said. "You think you could drive me and Chlo to the cemetery? I don't think I can drive us both again. I struggle every year."
Beca nodded and kissed Aubrey's temple, "Of course, my love." She said softly. "Whatever you two need. I'm here baby."
"Don't let me push you away again," the headmaster said, knowing that she had in the two previous years.
"I won't," Beca said. "That I promise you."
The two sat there for awhile in silence, the music producer rocking the headmaster back and forth while kissing her head every so often. What they didn't know is that Chloe was standing outside the open door, hiding a little. She had never knew that her parents how her parents died. The headmaster always sugarcoated it by saying they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and never went further than that. The redhead had tears in her eyes and began to feel angry that her sister would share the full story with her girlfriend, but not her.
In the days following, Chloe became really withdrawn, she only really talked to Greyson. Aubrey passed it off as she was grieving their parents' deaths, like she did every year, but this time felt different for the blonde. She didn't push it, she knew that the redhead would come to her eventually, so she waited it out.
Aubrey and Beca were making out on the couch one evening when they heard the front door abruptly open and then slam shut. Aubrey sighed as she rested her forehead against Beca's, "Who do you think that is?" Aubrey asked her girlfriend.
"Probably Em," Beca said, "when she and Benji are arguing, she gets all moody and stays here for a bit until they make up."
The music producer went back to kissing the headmaster when they heard something fall over in the kitchen and a loud groan. It wasn't Emily or Greyson, it was Chloe. Aubrey pulled away for a moment with her arms still wrapped around Beca's neck, "You okay, Chlo?" She called to her sister.
"Fine," Chloe grunted back. Before muttering out a, "Oh Jesus fucking Christ."
Aubrey looked at her girlfriend and whispered, "I'll go handle her. She's been a bit moody lately." The blonde got up and moved to the kitchen to see what was going on with her sister and saw that she was soaked from the rain pouring outside. "Woah, what happened to you?"
Chloe chuckled, "I'm fine, Aubrey. Don't worry about it." The redhead said.
Except, Aubrey did worry about it, because her sister never called her anything, but Bree and the occasional sissy when she needed comfort. This Chloe is a version she's never dealt with before.
"Are you sure?" Aubrey asked. "Do you need to-"
"I said I was fine," Chloe snapped back. "I'm going to go change."
Chloe walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs, leaving Aubrey standing there speechless and confused, Beca came behind her and wrapped her arms around the headmaster's waist.
"What's her deal?" Beca asked, kissing the back of Aubrey's neck.
"I have no idea," Aubrey said turning in her girlfriend's arms, "she's been really moody lately. And that's not usual from her."
"Maybe we can get Grey to talk to her. He always seems like he can get through to her." Beca said, burying her face into Aubrey's neck. "I love you, Bree."
"I love you too, Bec." Aubrey said as the brunette placed heated kisses up her neck.
Greyson knocked on Chloe's door after dinner that night, being told by his mother and Aubrey that he had to get to the bottom to why Chloe was being so weird. The door immediately opened harshly, making Greyson raise and eyebrow, he held up a carton of Chloe's favorite ice cream and two spoons and she let him into her room.
"You alright, Beale?" He asked as they sat down in the two bean bag chairs that Chloe had in her room. "Because I've been told not to leave here until we get to the bottom of why you're choosing now to be a moody teenager."
Chloe sighed, she knew that her sister sent her best friend up here to talk to her about what's going on, she had been shutting the blonde out longer than usual during this time of the year. She saw the concern in her best friend's eyes as he handed her ice cream. She dug into the ice cream and said, "I overheard a conversation Aubrey was having with your mom about- about my parents."
Greyson's eyes went wide with his eyebrows in his hairline, "What about them?" He asked softly.
"How they really died." She said. "Not the sugarcoated version." She sighed and scooped some ice cream out, "And it's frustrating because she's always trying to protect me and I hate it. I'm 17, for christ's sake. Give me the real reason."
"She's your big sister," Greyson said. "She's always gonna wanna protect you. Hell, Emily is the same way with me."
"A drunk driver hit my parents," Chloe got out before sobbing, "a drunk driver." She got out again before the teenage boy reached out to hold her close to him.
Greyson had gotten so used to consoling Chloe over the years, whether it be about her parents, Tom, or some of reason. Outside of Aubrey, he was the one that she went to for comfort. The young man considered it an honor that he would never take for granted.
After awhile of the redhead crying, Greyson said, "You should talk to Aubrey. She has every right to know."
"I feel like I'll just end up yelling at her and I'll never forgive myself if I do." The girl said.
"Why's that?" Greyson asked as the redhead's head stayed on his chest, he began stroking fingers in her hair.
"She's given so much up for me," Chloe whispered after a moment. "I can't just yell at her."
"I think she'd understand," Greyson said. "She's pretty worried about you, so is my mom."
"I'll talk with her," Chloe said eventually, "but for now, can you just hold me?"
"Of course, Chlo," Greyson said. "I love you."
"I love you too, Grey." She said. "Thanks for being my best friend."
"To be completely honest," Greyson said, "I wouldn't want anyone else to hold that title in my life. Just you, only you."
He adjusted her so that he could be more comfortable. They laid there, Greyson holding Chloe, unsure how else to comfort the girl. Grateful that he had her in his life.
The next day at lunch, Greyson had encouraged Chloe to spend it with Aubrey. So, the redhead was currently standing in front of her sister's office door before she gained up enough courage to knock, and when she did, she heard a muffled, "Come in." Chloe opened the door with a shaky hand and saw that her sister was alone eating lunch, "Oh hey, Chlo, what's up?"
"May- may I talk to you?" Chloe asked. "I have some stuff that I need to get off my chest. Greyson encouraged me to come."
Aubrey nodded, "Of course honey," the headmaster responded. "Come in, shut the door." Chloe came in and shut the door behind her, Aubrey gestured that they should move to the couch in her office, the blonde had a feeling that she would be holding Chloe close by the end of the conversation, "Have you eaten yet?" Aubrey asked, Chloe shook her head and pulled out the lunch that Beca had made her that morning. Chloe opened it and saw a note inside, she knew Greyson always got these, and she found it heartwarming that the music producer thought about putting one in hers. "Hey Chlo," it read, "I know you have a lot of stuff going on in your head right now, but I really do hope you're having a good day." Tears dwelled in Chloe's eyes, "Yeah, she leaves me those little notes in my lunch too." Aubrey said. "Sooo," she then changed the subject, "what did you want to talk about?"
Chloe took a deep breath before pulling out the sandwich and taking a bite, "I overheard a conversation that you and Beca were having about mom and dad." She began not looking up at her big sister's eyes, "I was walking to use the bathroom and I heard you crying and went to check on you and then you went into how they died." She scooted farther away from the headmaster, "I didn't want to eavesdrop that wasn't my attention, but you rarely ever let out emotion that leads to crying, so I was- I was worried." Aubrey looked at how small her sister looked and reached out to touch her shoulder, Chloe looked at the hand and then the blonde's face, it wore a supportive, protective smile, and even a nod of encouragement to move forward, it made Chloe jump up, angry that her sister was so accepting to the situation, "And then- and then, you were telling Beca how our parents died. The truth. Beca. Why didn't you tell me the truth?"
Aubrey's head hung, "In my defense, I did tell the truth, just not the full truth." She said. "Because in my eyes, you'll always be that baby girl that mom placed in my arms and I want to protect you from the horrors of the world."
"I'm 17, Aubrey." Chloe spat out. "I don't deserve half truths."
Aubrey nodded, "Of course, love, but I can't even get myself to open up to Beca about it, minus that small story you heard. It's hard for me," the blonde said. "Every single time I look at you, I think about how you could've had a better life, but an alcoholic took that away from you."
"I have a great life," Chloe said. "I have everything that I need. I just- ever since you and Beca have gotten together, I feel like you aren't telling me the honest truth. I need the honest truth, Bree." Her voice broken, "I need- I need-"
Aubrey jumped up to hug her sister tight, "Of course, love. Of course, from now on, the 100% honest truth. I love you, Chlo."
Chloe began crying into her sister's chest, Aubrey had gotten them to sit back down on the couch where she held her sister for the rest of the redhead's lunch period.
A few days later, Greyson drove Aubrey and Chloe to their parents' gravesite with Beca in the backseat, the blonde cuddled into her. Chloe sitting in the passenger's seat with tears in her eyes. It was quiet minus the radio and the occasional blinker. When they pulled up, Chloe gave vague directions to Greyson on where the gravesite was and when they pulled up to it, both Greyson and Beca opted to stay in the car, to give the sisters space to be with their parents.
"I'm just gonna make my mom feel uncomfortable by playing all the songs that she's either sung in or produced," Greyson said making Beca roll her eyes. "Take your time."
"Yeah," Beca chimed in, "we'll go get your guys' favorite dinner afterwards."
The sisters got out of Greyson's jeep and Chloe immediately reached for Aubrey's hand, which she clung to. The sisters made their way to the grave. They stood there for awhile in silence. "I was mad at them," Chloe finally said. "Really mad and as I got older, I realized how selfish I was. They were giving me the best life possible and I was mad because I only saw them at breakfast and dinner. If I could go back and have just one more moment with them," the redhead let the statement hang there for a moment, "I'd tell them how much I love them and not yell at them for missing a soccer game that in reality didn't mean much." She then turned to Aubrey, "I'm sorry for shutting you out."
Aubrey wrapped her arm around her sister as the redhead buried her face into the blonde's side, "I remember getting that phone call that they were hit. I knew they were on their way to get you because they had called me to tell me that they were going to pull you out earlier to spend some much needed quality time with you and then after an hour passed I began to worry," Aubrey wiped a tear away with their free hand. "Then when the police showed up a couple of hours later to tell me-" she cleared her throat, "to tell me that my mom and your dad were hit, I lost all professionalism and fell to my knees and cried. I didn't know how I was going to break the news to you."
Chloe looked at the grave for awhile before saying, "We still have each other at least."
Aubrey kissed the top of Chloe's head, "Always, we'll always have each other." She said.
A couple of days later, Chloe was sitting at the counter going over some calculus notes when Emily walked into the kitchen to get water, "Hey Chloe." The musician said.
"Hey Emily," she responded not looking up from her notes.
Emily leaned over to see what Chloe was studying, "Calculus?" She then asked.
"Mhm," Chloe said focused on her notes.
Emily sighed, she wanted to spend some time with the girl because she was her baby brother's best friend and her mom's girlfriend's sister. So, you know, family. Chloe was so engrossed in her notes that Emily cleared her throat again, making the high school student's head pop up, "I, uh, I was wondering if you and I could hang out and get to know each other." She said making Chloe give her a weird look, "I mean, you're my brother's best friend and my mom's girlfriend's sister, so that practically makes you family. And I don't know you and would like to get to know you."
Chloe nodded understandingly and flipped her textbook closed and placed everything on top of each other, "What do you wanna do?" She asked, not knowing if they had anything in common.
"I figured we could just hang out in my room, listen to some music, and talk." Emily said with a shrug.
Chloe smiled, "I can do that." She said.
Emily smiled as Chloe gathered up her stuff to put in her room before going into the brunette's room. She had always wanted to get to know her best friend's older sister, but never knew how she would go about doing that. They stayed in Emily's room until dinner and got to know each other and found out that they had quite a lot in common. They both didn't understand why Greyson only really talked to the redhead if he didn't have a thing for them, they both had somewhat of a small obsession with Beyoncé (but who didn't was both of their responses), they both agreed with Greyson that Chloe being their aunt was weird, but they both loved how happy Aubrey and Beca made each other. Emily maybe a musician/songwriter/artist and Chloe maybe headed to medical school to become a doctor, but they started their own familyship as the musician called it.
"Yeah," Chloe thought as she went to bed that night, "she could get used to living in the Mitchell household."
End note: Happy new year everybody!
Things are just getting started with this story and their about to be intense. Some major Mitchsen fluff is coming your way.
