Notes - My apologies, my family had an unexpected death in the family, and so between travel and the funeral, I just didn't have the energy to write and publish. Hopefully I can get back on track now.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Best Christmas Ever

Chapter 9

A Confession

In time the family eventually shifted their discussion from the dining table over to the plush couches in the family room. Catherine and Lizzy prepared hot cocoa for everyone, while Charles and Chase started a fire in the fireplace. Chase set up a game of Jenga.

"Is that wise?" Lizzy asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chad asked as he sat next to Chase with an eggnog.

"Well, I'm trapped here, I'm stuck for life," Lizzy held up her laft hand and flashed her wedding band. "Beca however is an innocent bystander, and let's face it, when you Beale's get competitive... well I sometimes fear for my life." Lizzy looked over to the petite brunette and said with mock conspiratorially, "You'll see Beca." She winked to emphasize her words.

Beca giggled, then stage whispered back, "Trust me, knowing this one," Beca indicated Chloe, right next to her, "I can believe it."

"Beca!" Chloe said as she slapped her friend's arm.

"Ack! Abuse!" Beca laughed.

"We are not that bad," Chase defended.

"That'll be enough," Catherine admonished. With fake sternness she said, "I won't have lying under this roof." Her smirk let everyone know she was kidding.

"Yes Mom," Chase replied with an exaggerated sigh, though his smirk tells everyone he's in on the joke.

"Well it doesn't matter for the two of you," Chad said as he pointed his finger between Beca and Lizz. "You both have been claimed by the Beale clan, so now you have no choice. You're trapped here with the rest of us."

"Here, here," Charles and Catherine cheered.

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Lizzy said as she snuggled into her husband's side.

"Me too," Beca agreed softly as she shyly smiled at Chloe. The smile it elicited from Chloe was anything but shy. She wrapped her arms around the petite brunette and hugged her so tightly it elicited a tiny squeak, which of course elicited more laughter from everyone in the room.

"We should put some music on," Catherine suggested.

"Oh I have it," Chloe announced as she jumped up. As she had still been hugging Beca, the brunette overbalanced as the excited redhead jumped up. This led to another embarrassing yelp as Chloe rushed to her jacket. Before Beca can be mortified by the yelp, or fully comprehend what was happening, Chloe's returned with a USB device. "Dad, will you plug this in?"

Even as Charles agreed and accepted the small device from his daughter, Beca recognized what was happening. "What? Chloe, No!"

"Yes Beca," Chloe answered her friend. "You made me a mix of Christmas songs, it's perfect for tonight."

"But…" Beca started.

"Beca made one of her famous mixes using Christmas music?" Catherine asked.

"Yes Mom," Chloe nodded happily.

"Plug that in Charles," Catherine commanded. "I can't wait to hear it."

"But…" Beca started again.

"Hush you, I want to hear your music," Catherine told the young woman.

"But why?" Beca asked, truly perplexed by why Chloe's mother would be so adamant about listening to it.

"Because Beca, Chloe has told me how talented you are," Catherine answered. "And my daughter has a truly talented ear for music. If she says you're talented, then it's true and I want to hear it."

The rest of the Beale's all voiced their similar sentiments. Charles had at the same time plugged the USB into his stereo system, and then the room was filled with an instrumental version of Silent Night, which then blended into Mariah Carey singing White Christmas.

The room was quiet, save for the music, everyone just enjoying the fire, the company, and the music. Chloe returned to her spot, and her eyes silently asked for Beca's forgiveness. The brunette smiled and nodded her acceptance.

When a blend of Rudolf the Rednosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman finished, Catherine turned to Beca and said, "Told you my daughter knows music when she hears it."

With that the room settled into a comfortable family warmth. The Beale siblings got into a heated match of Jenga. Catherine and Lizzy played with Colton, while Charles sat back and watched it all with a glass of Cognac. He caught Beca's eye and indicated the music being played, and raised his glass in toast.

Beca raised her hot chocolate in return and smiled behind the cup before taking a sip. Chloe had just managed to win a heated Jenga battle with Charlie and she hugged Beca in celebration. It all combined to fill Beca with an incredible sense of belonging.

She found she really liked it.

-~Merry Pitchmas 2021~-

The night continued in much the same way, though Chase brought out the Uno cards after about five rounds of Jenga. The Beale's continued regaling each other with humorous stories of their recent lives as they shared drinks, listened to music and played Uno well into the night.

Lizzy was the first to excuse herself, as she left to put Colton to bed. She was joined not long after by Charlie. He was tired from a full day of work he put in before he had driven his family down from Boston in the evening.

A little before midnight, Charles and Catherine also called it a night as well. As they said their good nights, Catherine reminded everyone they were expected to be up at an early hour for breakfast before making the trek for the tree in the morning.

Beca remained snuggled into Chloe in the middle of the couch, as the senior continued to reminisce with her two brothers for another hour. It wasn't until a noticeably sweet snore came from the young brunette that Chloe suggested they all turn in for the night. The brothers snickered, but Chloe ignored them as she helped lay Beca down on the couch. She gently pushed loose strands of brown hair behind Beca's ear. The senior had to resist the urge to plant a kiss on the sleeping woman, as she lovingly looked down upon her.

This did not go unnoticed by Chad who made kissing sounds behind his sister's back. Without turning her head, she showed him her middle finger.

"Ooh, obscene finger gestures, ChloBear," Chad joked. "College has changed you."

Ignoring her brothers, Chloe began to clean up the family room. The siblings were able to quickly clean up the cups, and other dishes that had collected over the night's activities.

When everything had been picked up, and all leftovers were put away, Chloe returned to the family room and gently woke her sleeping friend.

"Beca," Chloe said as she gently shook Beca's shoulder. "Let's go up to bed."

"Something I just know you've been dying to say to her," Chad teased. Chase guffawed in the background, as Chloe again flashed the two of them a most deadly glare. Neither brother would admit it, but Chloe's glare was so similar to their mother's, they both actually took a step back.

Their sister didn't notice though as she had refocused on her slumbering friend. She gently shook the younger girl awake.

"Chlo?" Beca asked with a groggy voice as she emerged from sleep.

"Hey Becs," Chloe said. "Let's go upstairs. You'll be more comfortable in my bed."

"That's what she said," Chad stage-whispered to Chase, who laughed in response.

"What?" Beca asked, still sleep confused.

"Nothing," Chloe said before she glowered at her brothers, then helped the young woman up. Together the four made their way up to the second floor.. At the top of the stairs the four wished the others good nights. Before retiring to their respective rooms Chad did manage to make a few more suggestive comments, but Beca was too tired to catch them. Chloe ushered the younger woman into her bedroom and shut the door before Chad could repeat his comments.

"What was that?" Beca asked through a yawn.

"Nothing," Chloe assured her friend. "Just Chad being Chad."

"Oh, he's a bit of a character," Beca observed as she walked over to her suitcase.

"Yeah, that's a word for him," Chloe grumbled.

Both young women went through their suitcases to dig out their pajamas and their toiletry bags. They both found their items at the same time.

"So um do you wanna go first?" Beca hooked her thumb towards the bathroom door.

With a shake of her head, Chloe answered "No you go ahead. I'll just run to the one down the hall." With that, Chloe smiled and slipped out of the bedroom.

Beca returned the smile just standing there looking at the door Chloe had just passed through. She then made her own way into the en suite to brush her teeth and change.

While washing the remainder of her makeup off her face, Beca took the moment to reflect on the evening that just happened.

It's been forever since Beca can remember a time she had experienced anything like the big, happy family dinner she had just sat through. Maybe there had been a holiday gathering a year or two before her dad left that might have been similar, but she doubted it. This had been larger, more accepting, less serious but somehow still sincere than any of Beca's childhood memories.

Of course every interaction since arriving at the Beale household had basically been a culture shock for the brunette, inciting a couple, or rather several mini anxiety attacks. The relationship between the siblings was unlike anything Beca had ever had in her life. It was loving in a way she didn't know she was missing, and it seemed to be extended to her without hesitation.

Back at Barden that would have scared her. As a concept it filled her with trepidation; but now several hours into the trip, seeing the reality of it, Beca's starting to feel more at ease with the family around her. There was no way she would have believed it could happen this quickly, or possibly at all, yet against all expectations, Beca feels wholeheartedly embraced by this wacky but loving family. It's unexpected, but Beca feels like she already belongs. This is the first time that has happened in a very long time; and it has never happened this fast.

And all of this happened because of a very crazy redhead who is just down the hall. She really is something special.

This does cause Beca to pause. She sighs and pats her face dry with a towel. She hung the towel from the bar just left of the sink. With a deep breath the young brunette stare directly into her mirrored reflection, and gives herself a mental pep talk.

Well, you've gradually gotten better tonight with keeping your cool in front of the family, maybe now you can focus on keeping it together around Chloe.

With a resounding nod, Beca turned the door handle and flicked off the light as she exited the bathroom.

As Beca emerges from the en suite bathroom, she finds Chloe occupying the side of the bed closest to the window. The redhead is sitting with her toned and tanned legs bent and stretched out in front of her, massaging lotion into them. It takes every ounce of strength to keep her jaw from dropping to the floor as she stands rooted to the ground, mesmerized by the actions of the gorgeous woman in front of her.

Oh fuck me! That is just not right! What was that about keeping your cool?

How am I supposed to share a bed with that beautiful woman?!

With the legs and the… everything! Yeah, definitely falling in the opposite direction of cool.

Wow, did Chloe just turn the heat up in here?

As if Chloe could feel a heated stare burning into her, she looked up to find Beca standing completely still just in front of the bathroom door. Chloe smiled towards Beca as she asked, "All set?"

"Umm-yeah," Beca nodded.

The redhead noticed the brunette's eyes quickly shifted from her general direction to the empty space next to her, then seemed to bounce around the rest of the room. Her smile softened as she sensed the nervousness of the freshman.

"Are you planting roots over there, Becs?" Chloe asked with a hint of mirth in her voice. She closed the bottle of lotion and put it away in the nightstand drawer next to her.

There's a silence as Beca remains vocally unresponsive. She goes to say something, when nothing comes out, she clears her throat, then exhales slowly and deeply as she attempts to settle herself.. Gathering her courage, she takes a few tentative steps towards the queen-sized bed. Chloe can see a slight hesitation in the younger woman's eyes as she approaches, and attempts to ease whatever tension Beca may be feeling.

"Come on, silly." Chloe said, patting the empty space in the bed next to her. "I don't bite. Unless you're into that kind of thing." She threw in a seductive wink and smirk at the end, hoping to garner a reaction out of the petite brunette, even if it's a flustered one.

For some reason this over-the-top flirting helped to settle Beca, instead of flustering the younger woman. This surprised Chloe who could see the younger woman take a deep settling breath, and then shuffle over to the bed. She silently pulled back the comforter and climbed in. As she did, Chloe could have sworn she heard the brunette mumble something akin to, "Who says I'm not into that?"

"Did you say something, Becs?" Chloe asked.

"Hmmm?" Beca hummed as she slid into the bed without looking up.

Instead of answering out loud, Chloe just shook her head, as if to clear her head of the thought that Beca might have flirted back. Was it a real thing Beca said, or was it only a hope she held? The redhead glanced back toward the younger girl as she awkwardly settled herself under the covers, picking at the edge of the comforter to make sure only her head stuck out.

A few moments pass with Chloe continuing to gaze upon the brunette before Beca raised her eyes and met Chloe's baby blues gaze. The petite woman smiled shyly before glancing back down at the comforter she had taken such an interest in. Unable to stand it anymore, Chloe broke the slightly awkward silence. "You know, Becs, if this," she indicated the bed they were in, "makes you uncomfortable, I can always go sleep on the couch in the den out there…"

Beca immediately cut her off, finally speaking for the first time since entering the room earlier.

"Chloe, no… It… it's fine. I'm fine. I'm totally cool… cool with this. I mean, we're both adults right, and it's not like we've never slept together before."

Immediately Beca knows she made a mistake with her words as she sees Chloe dip her head and grin. She replays what she said, and it takes Beca's brain another moment before registering the words that just came out of her mouth.

"OH, NO, I mean sleep... together... as in lay in the same bed, and sleep, but NOT naked. No. Cause like, that would have been pretty noticeable, not that I'd be noticing you if you were naked. I mean I would… cause have you seen you, and it's kinda hard not to stare at a naked person in general and I'm just going to stop talking now."

The brunette finished abruptly, snapping her jaw shut and she flushed a deep shade of scarlet as she tried to make herself appear as small and unnoticeable as possible, wishing the Earth would just open up and swallow her in this moment.

Deciding to take a little mercy on the flustered young woman, Chloe refrained from teasing her about the phrasing. "Well I'm glad you're fine and totally cool, because I really wasn't looking forward to the couch. Not when this bed is sooo comfortable," She said, as she leaned back into her pillows and stretched out under the covers.

Beca noticed the redhead had ignored her embarrassing display of word vomit and was quite thankful for it. The brunette sunk even lower underneath the covers, leaning back into her pillows to get comfortable before broaching a topic of conversation that's been on her mind since they arrived. Several minutes of silence pass before she speaks again.

"Um, so," Beca started, as she picked at the bed cover again. Her head was a cacophony of questions.

Should I really ask? I mean it's private, and she'd tell me if she wanted me to know. So maybe I shouldn't. But I kinda just wanna know, otherwise I may go crazy thinking about it.

"Yeah Becs? What's up?" Chloe turned her upper body to face the brunette, leaning on her left arm for support. This brought her closer to the younger woman.

"I was kinda wondering, from earlier, since I mean, your brother said something and your dad implied…" Beca was finding it difficult to just spit it out.

"What Becs? You know you can tell me anything. Or ask me anything if you have a question," Chloe assured the younger woman as she placed her right hand atop Beca's. She looked deeply into the storm gray-blue eyes. She wanted to convey any type of comfort Beca needed onto the nervous looking girl.

"W-why um, I mean i-it seemed like they thought we are, were, that um, that I was your girlfriend?" Beca said it as more of a question than a statement.

Chloe's eyebrow arched slowly, but she remained silent..

"A-a-and… AndI was just wondering, I mean do they, are you… I mean they seemed okay with the idea of it. I mean, of the idea of you having a girlfriend. That you could've had one." And with the end of her sentence trailing off a bit, Beca's brow furrowed in curiosity but her eyes were hesitant to outright ask her question.

Chloe understood, she still remembered what it was like before she came out to her family. Her voice was soft but clear and strong as she replied, "Yeah, Becs. Um, they would be because… I'm bisexual. I kinda, well not kinda, I did come out to them... I came out that I like women, just as much as I like men."

The silence returned. It took several minutes for Beca's brain to process this newly acquired information.

Chloe likes women?

Chloe.

Likes.

Women.

Chloe likes women!

Holy shit!

Okay, shit, breathe Mitchell. We talked about this. Inhale. Exhale.

She likes women.

That doesn't mean anything for you. Well it means I qualify for genders she likes. But who knows if she even likes you.

You're a weird, sarcastic, introverted recluse. The complete opposite of everything amazing that is Chloe Beale.

Why on earth would she be interested in you?

But…

BUT, maybe.

Maybe, I can hope?

Right?

Chloe is starting to get a little worried at Beca's vacant stare and lack of a response. Now it was Chloe's turn for her brain to go into overdrive.

Oh no, what if she's freaked out? And now she realizes she's sharing a bed with someone who possibly, okay definitely has a sexual interest in her.

She's probably figuring out how to politely find another place to sleep. Maybe even leave altogether!

"Beca?" Chloe asked tentatively. "A-are you okay?" She sees Beca's eyes slowly drift to hers, come back into focus and register her voice.

"Did I― I haven't freaked you out, have I?" Chloe says, nervously biting her lip.

"What?! NO!" Beca exclaimed in a much higher pitched voice than she anticipated. Chloe doesn't buy the reassurance and starts to pull her hand away from Beca's. Beca immediately captures it in her own.

"No Chloe! God, no, not freaked. I'm sorry. I don't know why my voice went that high. I didn't even know it could go that high." She said in a hurry, making Chloe giggle slightly at her last comment.

"I guess I'm just surprised, cause like, the first time we ever met you had kinda been previously occupied with someone, and then that someone was also kind of shoving his tongue down your throat at Hood Night. So I guess I just assumed, which, when I think about it, is now a really stupid and close minded thing of me to have done. I mean you never said anything, but you know what they about people who assume… You make an ass out of you and me… Wait, I didn't mean to call you an Ass. Shoot me now, I'm just a big asshole. And I really shouldn't have―"

"Woah Becs!" Chloe cut off the rambling freshman. She clutched her hand around the petite girl's hand. "Hey it's cool, I'm not offended. Yeah I never said anything, just because, I don't know... Since I came out as bi back in high school and just embraced who I was, I never really thought I needed to define my sexuality outright to anyone. I was just being me and figured people would see that." Chloe explained to the younger woman.

Beca went to say something, but Chloe held up her hand. "But," she continued, "I can see how certain situations may lead one to certain conclusions. And you're asking now, in your own adorably awkward way, and so I'm confirming for you. So… um, are we, like are we okay? Still?"

"Of course we're okay, Beale." Beca replied with conviction, staring directly into Chloe's baby blue eyes. "You're my best friend, and your sexuality doesn't matter to me. Who you are as a person is amazing and you should never stop being you for anybody."

Chloe simply stared at Beca with glassy wet eyes, her bottom lip being firmly held between her teeth so as to not allow the trembling to burst free.

"I'm your best friend?" Chloe asked with a quiet reverie. She'd never heard the brunette call her that before and she was quickly becoming far too emotionally stimulated at the revelation.

Realizing the words she had just said, Beca suddenly grew very shy. Again she hesitated to meet Chloe's eyes.

"Um yeah well, I don't see how I had much of a choice ya know. Shower duets, midnight coffee runs and half the other shit we've done kinda forced it upon me, wouldn't you say?" The tiny brunette responded with a small shrug.

One thing Chloe has learned about her friend is how much Beca doesn't like to deal with sappy emotions, and Chloe recognizes she's one more sweet compliment away from completely gushing. So instead, she settled for calmly reaching over to Beca for a hug so as to not frighten the petite freshman away.

"Thanks Becs." Chloe whispered into her ear, arms wrapped around her tightly. "You know you're my best friend too. And I'm really glad you're here. I know it's only dayone, but the holiday already feels way more special with you here." Chloe's cheek is pressed against Beca's as she speaks softly.

Not knowing how to respond, Beca simply held on to the hug for a few seconds longer than she might have in the past before releasing the other woman. They remain but mere inches apart from one another, smiling softly and gazing in each other's eyes. The moment feels a little too intense for the petite girl, so she clears her throat and says the first thing that comes to mind to try and ease the tension a little.

"So I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted. Smiling and pleasantries really wear a girl out." Beca said with a chuckle and a short yawn. "Plus, some of us aren't gifted with your looks and need massive amounts of beauty sleep."

"Oh please, Becs. You wouldn't need beauty sleep if someone smacked you with an ugly stick. But you're right," Chloe replied, as she turned over to click the bedside lamp off. "We should probably call it a night since we have to be up at six-am tomorrow."

"WHAT?! SIX! AS IN SIX-AM? WHAT THE HELL!? WHY?!" Beca abruptly sat up as she shouted out loud. It then dawned on her that the rest of the house was most likely fast asleep. "Sorry," she whispered, then in a lowered voice she asked,. "What reason on this planet would make me get up at the ass-crack of dawn tomorrow morning?"

Before Chloe had a chance to respond, Beca realized this might be something normal for the Beale family, so she resorted to pleading. "Can't we just sleep in? Please? Pretty please? This is supposed to be my vacation, Beale, which equates to days of sleeping in late. So late that I should lose track of the days altogether!"

The room is dark, but even with the curtains drawn, slivers of moonlight still peek their way into the room, giving it some illumination. Chloe turned on her side to face Beca. Looking up at her young friend, she can just make out the outline of the girl's face and the now grumpy features that define it. It makes her want to giggle, but she doubts that would be appreciated.

"Becs…"

"Chloe," Beca whines.

"Beca, we have to get up early; we're picking out the Christmas tree tomorrow morning," Chloe explained.

The irritated brunette collapsed back onto her pillow with a sigh of frustration, arms crossed in an adorable pout. "Are there even any Christmas tree lots open at that god-awful time?"

"Oh-we don't go to a lot," Chloe informed the pouting brunette.

"What? Then where?" Beca asked as she turned towards her red haired host.

"We own a plot of land," Chloe explained. "It's all forest, and trails. We go camping in the summer, cross country skiing in the winter. My family grows some pine trees there so we can cut them down for Christmas. It's a Beale family tradition, " Chloe explained. The excitement of the tradition growing evident in her words.

The redhead then tapped the tip of Beca's nose with her index finger. She ignored Beca's growl and continued, "Seeing as how you are now an honorary member of the Beale family, it is your obligation to participate." To emphasize her point she reached over and poked the now scowling brunette under the covers, making her yelp in surprise. "Plus, my Mom makes the most killer blueberry pancakes and you won't want to miss those by being all stubborn and grouchy and not getting out of bed. Believe me when I tell you, if you're not down there to eat, my brothers will claim every last bite of food." Chloe's words actually went from playful to deadly serious. "You have to ask yourself, which can you deal with more, a little sleep deprivation, or extreme food deprivation?"

Though Beca knows Chloe can't really see the intense glare she's giving her, it remains on her face nonetheless as she contemplates the redhead's words. Sleep is good, food is better. Plus she had seen firsthand how much Chase and Chad had been able to put away. And thinking back, Charles and Charlie had exhibited healthy appetites too.

Begrudgingly she conceded, "Fine. You win, I'll try to get up." She held up her hand and pointed at the redhead. "But you are tasked with getting me out of bed in the morning, and I make no promises on how happy or grumpy I'll be," Beca breathed out heavily. She fell back onto her back with every intention to fall asleep.

"Challenge accepted," Chloe quietly cheered. "See you in the morning Becs," she said happily, before leaning over to quickly place a kiss on the brunette's cheek. Chloe then situated herself back on her side of the bed, as she yawned, "Goodnight Beca."

Completely caught by surprise by the kiss, Beca laid there as stiff as a board. She could barely breathe. It felt as if she could burst into flames at the contact of Chloe's lips on her skin. Many minutes later when she had finally regained all functionality in her brain and body, Beca rolled her body onto her sidet to respond. However, she is met with the sight of a slumbering redhead, who's soft snores are super cute and endearing. She smiled lightly and tucked a stray strand of red hair behind her friend's ear.

"Goodnight Chlo." She whispered into the quiet room before drifting off into her own peaceful dreamland.

-~Merry Pitchmas 2021~-

Notes:
Again, sorry for the delay. I will try to get the next chapter out ASAP.
Hope you are still enjoying this.