A/n: No excuses for the delay. Life is just a pain in the ass.

Back with all the angst and not sorry for it. I have an idea of how this story is going to go.

Here we go...


Chapter Five

Chloe was pacing back and forth in her room, playing back her telling Tom 'no' to homecoming over and over again.

Chloe was sitting with Stacie and Jessica. Stacie had just said something to make her laugh as Tom nervously came up to their table.

"Hi," he said softly.

Chloe swallowed nervously, "Hi Tom," she said. Stacie and Jessica rolled their eyes and looked at their phones as the boy talked to Chloe.

"I- I was wondering if you had a date to homecoming yet." He said in the charming way that always got Chloe back in the past.

"I don't, but I think it's time that we move on to other people." Chloe said. "So if you're here to ask me to homecoming, the answer is a hard no."

Tom looked at her and then looked at an equally surprised Stacie and Jessica, "Are- are you sure?" Tom asked. Chloe nodded her head. "But-"

"You heard her," Stacie said. "No means no, Tom."

"Yeah," Jessica chimed in, "you should just walk away now and be a man about it."

Rage began to fill Tom's eyes, he turned around and walked away, hearing Stacie muttering, "what a dumbass" under her breath to both Chloe and Jessica.

Chloe was brought out of her thoughts by a knock on the door, "Come in," she said, stopping her pacing.

"Hey," Greyson said coming in and shutting the door behind him. "We're still doing the double date thing to homecoming right?"

Chloe smiled at him, "I mean, if you want to. I know Stacie was saying she wanted the four of us to go together." She said. "Why?"

"Well, I just- I just needed to make sure because my mom is into the whole homecoming/prom thing and she wants us to go tomorrow after school to pick out what we're wearing to homecoming." He said. "It's a big thing for my mom and as much as I think it's dumb, I go along with it because I love her and all."

Chloe chuckled, sitting down on her bed, "I mean, sure. Are you sure it's not just you and your mom going?" She asked.

"She told me to come and ask," Greyson said with a shrug.

"Oh," Chloe said. "Then yeah, sure. I'm down."

"Okay cool," Greyson said. "You doing alright?"

Chloe nodded, "Yeah," she said. "How are you doing?"

"I have my good days and my bad days." He said.

"And how's today going?" Chloe asked.

"So, so." He said. "I'm gonna go have dinner with the Walker's tonight."

"Good, I'm glad." Chloe said.

"Are you sure you're doing okay?" Greyson asked.

Chloe shrugged, she didn't know how she was supposed to feel. Her ex boyfriend came into their school and murdered people all because she said no to his request to homecoming. She shrugged, "I want to be." She said. "Are you?"

He shrugged, "I want to be." He repeated. He moved towards Chloe to sit in front of him, "It's still hard to wrap my head around, y'know?" He said making her nod. "Mr. McPherson? Sophia? O-" He took a deep breath, "Owen? It's hard to understand that they're all gone."

Chloe nodded, she took a deep breath, "The school's lawyer wants me to testify." She said softly.

Greyson's eyebrows raised, "Are- are you going to do it?" He asked.

Chloe shrugged again, "I don't know if I should." She said. "Like why?"

Greyson shrugged again, "I mean, justice for Mr. McPherson, for Sophia, for- for Owen." He said visibly swallowing.

Chloe looked at her best friend and started to cry, "This is all my fault," she got out. "I should've just said yes to him."

"No," Greyson said. "Don't let him get inside your head."

"I don't get it." She said, crying harder.

Greyson embraced her and laid down, holding her close while she cried, hard into him. He didn't say anything else because he knew that it wouldn't ease her racing mind.

"I'll do it," Chloe said after a few moments of silence, "but I can't do it alone."

"You know this family, Stacie, Jessica, and your friends will stand behind you." Greyson said. "We aren't going anywhere. We got you."


Aubrey was standing in the kitchen, nursing a glass of wine, holding on to the counter when Beca walked in from work. Her mind was reeling, her baby sister was now a witness testifying in a case that could very well, derail the school the headmaster helped found. She was also somewhat shaking because why? Why was it so important for Chloe to at some point become the focus of this trial? Everyone of the parents at John Adams Preparatory Academy were worried, rightfully so, of their children being a part of school that was now in the conversation of gun violence in the country.

"Hey love," Beca said getting Aubrey out of her head.

Aubrey turned around, "Hi baby." She said, kissing her fiancé.

"What's on your mind?" Beca asked, holding her love in a hug.

"The trial." She said, pulling back, stepping away a little. "They want Chloe to testify."

Beca's eyebrows shot to her hairline, "Really? Why?" She asked.

"She's the ex girlfriend that caused this shooting to happen," Aubrey said. "I think it's all Tom's lawyers to be honest."

Beca nodded as she went up to Aubrey and started rubbing her shoulders from behind, "And how do you feel about that?" The music producer asked softly.

"Terrified." Aubrey said. "So fucking terrified."

"Is Chloe going to do it?" Beca asked softly.

"I gave her the option and she wanted to think about it," Aubrey said. "I really don't want her to do it."

"Why?" Beca asked softly.

"It's not her fault that Tom was crazy enough to do what he did," Aubrey said. "I just want to protect her."

"Okay," Beca said. "What can I do to help?"

Aubrey turned to her and buried her face into Beca's chest, "I don't know." She said. "Hold me?" She then asked.

"Of course, sweetheart." Beca murmured into her fiancé's hair and wrapped strong arms around her.

It was quiet for a moment, Beca swayed the two of them back and forth slowly. Aubrey had her face buried into Beca's chest still. Aubrey let out a sob into Beca's chest, "Why? Why is the world so cruel?" She let out. "Chloe shouldn't have to suffer through this."

"We'll get her through it," Beca said. "All of us. We're all one big family now."

Aubrey nodded, "Right." She let out. "Right."

"You don't have to do this alone anymore," Beca said. "I don't want you to really. I want to be here for you. For Chloe. I want us all to just be a family."

"I love you, Beca." Aubrey said. "So much."

Beca kissed the top of her fiancé's forehead as she heard footsteps coming down the stairs, "I love you too, love." She whispered as Greyson walked in the room with his keys.

"Oh, sorry." Greyson said, seeing that the couple was in an intimate moment.

"It's okay, love." Beca said. "You headed to the Walker's?" She asked.

He nodded, "Yeah, if that's okay?" He then hesitantly asked.

Beca nodded, "I'm glad you're going over there." She said. "It's really sweet of you."

"Owen was my best friend." He said with a shrug. The was silence for a moment, "Oh and Chloe's down for the homecoming shopping thing tomorrow."

"Cool," Beca said as Aubrey looked at her funny. "What?" Aubrey continued to stare at her. "I take Greyson every year just like I did Emily." She said with a shrug, "So I thought that maybe, since we're all one big happy family, I could take Chloe too."

Aubrey let her head fall, "I just have never been able to take her and get her the dress she wants." The headmaster said.

"Well, I'll be sure that for homecoming and prom this year, I do that, okay?" Beca said. "I got this."

Greyson sensed the emotion in the room and shifted awkwardly. He started to think about how hard this must be for Aubrey. The headmaster that lost two students and a subordinate. Her little, baby sister was going to testify in the trial because her ex boyfriend was the reason why everything was happening. The teenage boy saw how his mom pulled Aubrey in closer and he saw the look on the headmaster's face. The look of sheer terror, the look of just wanting everything to slow down for a minute and knowing that it isn't. He then knew he had to give the couple time and space, so that his mom could take care of his future stepmom.

"I- I'm gonna go," Greyson said. "Chloe's upstairs attempting to do homework and Emily said she's in the studio all night. I should be home around nine thirty."

"Okay love," Beca said as she let go of Aubrey for a minute to hug her son.

The mother and son hugged for a moment and he kissed her forehead as usual. Greyson then turned to Aubrey and did the same, but he hugged her a little longer. Tears dwelled in Beca's eyes when she saw the gesture. The music producer didn't know how her children were going to receive her being with the headmaster, but they both have welcomed both Aubrey and Chloe into their family like it was something they had always done and it made Beca's heart soar. The music producer then saw Greyson's take his letterman jacket from the back of the chair at the counter and slowly slip out of the room.

"You've raised some pretty great kids, Bec." Aubrey then said suddenly.

Beca was still looking in the direction that her son had just left and blindly pulled Aubrey back into her and kissed the top of the headmaster's head, "Yeah," she said, still looking in the direction, "yeah, I have."


Chloe was quiet during dinner, she'd been quiet a lot since the shooting, but even more so tonight. Both Aubrey and Beca sensed that the girl needed time to process. The redhead was pushing her food around the plate listening to Beca talk about how Emily's album was almost done and that how she'd be gone most of next year touring and that she and Benji were planning on getting married around Christmas time.

"Are you okay, love?" Aubrey then asked Chloe softly. Chloe had tuned out that she wasn't listening to what her sister was asking her, "Chlo? Chloe."

"Hm?" The girl had snapped out of her head. "What?"

"I asked if you were okay." Aubrey said softly.

"Oh yeah, sorry." Chloe said. "Just thinking."

"What are you thinking about?" Beca asked softly.

Chloe looked up to see the genuine concern on Beca's face, she loved that the music producer cared a lot. Ever since the aftermath of the shooting, Beca always came in and checked in on the teenage girl. Sometimes even sitting with her in silence because Chloe didn't want to talk, but Beca wanted to be there. The redhead then looked over at Aubrey who had the same concern written on her face and had even grabbed Chloe's hand and was softly caressing it with her thumb. There was so much love and concern in the room, it was overwhelming for Chloe, the redhead began to cry.

Aubrey and Beca jumped into action immediately to try and comfort her. The headmaster gathered her baby sister in her arms, almost placing the redhead in her lap and Beca was on the other side, crouched down rubbing Chloe's arm.

"This is all my fault," Chloe got out. "If I would've just said yes to his homecoming request."

"Hey," Aubrey said, "no. It's not your fault that you said no. You are allowed to say it to anyone."

Chloe cried into Aubrey's chest and then suddenly the redhead felt her being shifted into Beca's arms and the music producer picked the girl up and moved her to the couch. The headmaster followed closed behind. The couple sandwiched the teenager between them and Chloe just cried. She cried for what seemed like forever before she got quiet. Finally she said, "I want to testify."

Aubrey and Beca looked at each other wide-eyed, "Are- are you sure?" The music producer asked.

"I need to give justice to those who survived and to the families who lost loved ones." Chloe said. "I need to find peace. I want to testify."

Aubrey kissed the top of Chloe's head, "Okay," the headmaster said, not agreeing with the decision.

Chloe felt the unsupportive vibe her sister was giving her, she was so angry that she let this happen in the first place. She began to spiral out of control.


A few days later, Emily walked into the Mitchell residence to chaos. It wasn't prominent when the musician walked in, but something felt off. It didn't feel like the home it was before chaos took place at John Adams Prep.

"Why does it even matter?" Emily heard Chloe practically yell at Aubrey when she walked into the kitchen.

"I care about you and want the best for you," Aubrey said calmly.

"No, you just want to protect me," Chloe yelled back. "Which isn't necessary because I'm not a child anymore, Aubrey."

Emily's eyebrows shot up, the musician has never heard the redhead call the headmaster anything, but "Bree" or "sissy," using the headmaster's full name was a new development.

"Of course I'm going to protect you, Chlo." Aubrey said softly, clearly hurt by her sister using her full name and her yelling.

Emily walked into the kitchen where the yelling was taking place with wide eyes, Greyson and Beca saw her and immediately went wide eyed with her, they both knew that Emily doesn't do yelling very well, "Abort mission," Greyson said pushing Emily backwards and out of the kitchen, Beca stayed back to be of support to Aubrey. "Abort the fucking mission."

"What the hell is going on?" Emily asked.

"Chloe is spiraling," Greyson said, opening the front door. "Here let's go get dinner and I'll try to explain."

The two siblings got into Emily's car, Greyson sent Beca a text saying that they went to get dinner with an immediate response of thank you.

Emily was driving, "Is Chloe okay?" She asked.

Greyson shook his head, "The lawyers want her to testify, but Aubrey doesn't want her to. Chloe doesn't care and they're arguing about that."

"She still feeling guilty about the whole thing?" Emily asked.

"Yeah," Greyson said. "It's not even her fault though."

"I feel like as long as she's at that school, dealing with everyone, she's going to be beating herself up for it."

"Until she gets into some kind of therapy, she's going to be beating herself up for it." Greyson said. "It doesn't matter about the school."

Silence filled the car for a moment before Emily asked, "Do you want her to testify?"

Greyson nodded, "I want justice for Owen." He said. "And Sophia, and Mr. McPherson."


Back at the house, Aubrey was holding firmly onto the kitchen counter trying to keep her composure in check. Years of being an educator coming into play. Beca was standing near by when she got a text from Greyson.

Greyson: We're going to get dinner. Be back soon.

Beca: Thank you my love. I'll repay whoever pays for it later.

"Stop treating me like a child, Aubrey." Chloe said. "I'm about to be 18, I'd like to be treated like a goddamn adult."

"I'm not treating you like a child." Aubrey said softly. "I'm just trying to protect you. Tom's lawyers are going to eat you alive."

"So I'll prepare for that." Chloe said. "But, I want to give justice to those who we lost and those who are still recovering."

"That's not your job Chloe," Aubrey said firmly.

"I got John Adams Prep into this mess, I'm going to do my goddamn best to get us out of it." Chloe said. "I'm going to testify. I don't care if it's in front of the judge, jury, and court. I don't care if that exposes who I am. Greyson lost one of his best friends, so did the rest of Owen's friends. His family lost a family member. Sophia's friends lost a friend. Her family lost a family member. We all lost Mr. McPherson and so did his family and friends. All because I said no. So I'm going to testify, Aubrey. And if you don't like that, you can get used to it. You can't coddle me forever."

Chloe left the room and Aubrey let all the emotions she was feeling out. Beca saw her fiancé shaking and immediately wrapped her arms right around the headmaster. The music producer tried to keep the woman in her arms standing, but Beca ended up sitting on the kitchen floor, holding her love so tight while kissing the top of her head every so often and murmuring, "I got you love, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."


That night Aubrey was lying on her back awake in the darkness. She began tossing and turning, she was emotionally exhausted from the afternoon of her sister yelling at her. She looked over and saw Beca sleeping peacefully. She thought about the moment that she knew that she was in love with this woman.

They had been dating for a few months. Beca had snuck Aubrey into the house. The headmaster had a pretty rough day and the music producer wanted to spoil her love with a romantic bath and some lovemaking. They had to be quiet though. Greyson was studying for midterms a few doors down.

The blonde leaned back into the bubble bath and the brunette was on the other side of the tub, rubbing Aubrey's feet.

"Mmmm," Aubrey said. "That feels so good."

"Anything to take care of my love." Beca murmured back.

"I'm sorry that I want us to sneak around your kids and my sister right now." Aubrey said. "I just think Chloe and Greyson might be weirded out knowing that we're dating."

"I understand baby." Beca said. "I think it's weird that I've actually never met Chloe before and she and Grey have been best friends for ages now."

"Part of her knows that Greyson comes from wealth and she doesn't want that to cloud her judgement of him." Aubrey said. "The other part of her calls Greyson her school best friend. Sure when she needs him, he picks her up and they go for a drive, but she likes the way things are."

Beca nodded thoughtfully as she continued to rub Aubrey's feet.

Aubrey shook her head out of that memory as she upped to her stomach, Beca rubbed her lower back still in her sleep, "You okay love?" Beca mumbled sleepily.

"Can't sleep," the headmaster said back. "I'm going to make myself some tea. Go back to sleep sweetheart."

"You sure?" Beca mumbled back.

Aubrey nodded sitting up, "Positive. I'll be right back." She said.

The headmaster kissed the music producer's forehead and then walked downstairs where she saw Greyson sitting at the kitchen counter studying still with a cup of tea himself.

"What are you doing up, love?" Aubrey asked the boy.

"Can't sleep." He said. "Trying to get into MIT and whatnot, so thought being productive would be helpful."

Aubrey put the tea kettle on the stove and waited for it to heat up again, "How are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm okay." He said. "I miss Owen, but I'm okay." Pause. "How are you doing?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, challenging her to lie to him.

"I'm not okay." She said. "I don't want Chloe to testify."

"Why not?" Greyson asked.

"It's not her fault like Tom's lawyers are making it out to be and I just want to protect her."

"Chloe can protect herself." Greyson said. "She's strong enough."

"Is she though?" Aubrey breathed out. "She's my baby sister. I'm always going to want to protect her."

"Don't you think we need justice for what Tom did to our John Adams Prep family?" Greyson asked softly as Aubrey poured hot water into a cup with a tea bag.

"I do, but-"

"But nothing," Greyson said. "If she wants to testify, then let her testify. She's a big girl now, Bree."

Aubrey smiled. The boy has been calling her that a lot lately and it makes her heart flutter every time he does.

She shrugged, "She's always going to be that little girl my mom placed in my arms when she was first born." The headmaster said.

"She wants to do it." The boy said. "She wants to give justice. That she be an honorable thing."

"I just don't want her to get hurt." Aubrey said sitting across from him.

"None of us do, but like I said, she's a big girl," he said. "And we'll be there to help her 100% of the way."

Aubrey smiled at her soon-to-be stepson, she knew he was right, but she still was afraid of Chloe testifying.


The next morning Aubrey walked into Chloe's room, it was Saturday and the headmaster saw that her sister was studying for her chemistry class. She cleared her throat. Chloe turned around to look at her sister, "You're always going to be that little girl that mom placed in my arms that first time. And I'm not sorry for that. But you were right, you're old enough to make your own decisions. And while I don't agree with this one. I will support you in it."

Chloe got up and hugged Aubrey tightly, "I'm sorry for yelling at you." She murmured.

Aubrey kissed the top of her sister's head as a gesture of saying all is forgiven.


End note: I'm going to finish this story. I promise. Next few chapters are going to be much lighter. Leading up to both the Mitchsen and Emily/Benji weddings. Then some angsty trial chapters. Them more fluff as we head into graduation time for Chloe and Greyson. Then the story will end.