Wow! Thank you so much for the response on the first chapter! You all are amazing :)
- I'm so happy that you're excited for the fic! Thanks so much for reading and for your support!
Guest (Jan.30) - Yay! I'm so glad you're back for Leap of Faith :D Yes, Theo is an actual character from the third movie. He was supposed to be the other half of the heterosexual couple they were trying to force Beca into. He works for DJ Khaled and basically recruited her to the label at the end of the movie. Not a fan lol (and I agree with you... the third was a disappointment). Bechloe will become a thing eventually, but you're right in thinking it may take a while to get there. It will be very hard for Beca to stay under the radar (even though it might seem like a while in terms of the chapter progression haha). Lots of different variables to consider! I SO wanted to have Beca have a teenage child but the ages just wouldn't have worked :/ I tried thinking of a way to make it happen but I felt like if I made the separation longer than 10 years it would've been excessive :( But yes! The one shots are coming! I've been working on the first one for a while and I'm hoping that it'll still be up by this Sunday. Fingers crossed! Thank you so much for your kind words and for your support!
Wolvezzz - This fic is definitely going to be different than YAM but I am so glad you're excited for it! It's going to be a bumpy and emotional ride, that's for sure haha. There will be more flashbacks in the coming chapters, trying to fill in the blanks from the last ten years. And yes! It's going to be interesting to develop Theo's character in terms of this story because i really feel like his character is kind of open for interpretation. There will be one more major ship that will be revealed in this chapter! But other than that, Bechloe all the way ;) I'm so excited that you're already loving it! Thanks for reading and thank you for your support!
Iluvtvshows - So glad that you enjoyed the first chapter! I'm going to try and update every 5 days until my work/school load calms down, but I'll always put the next update-date at the A/N at the bottom! Thanks so much for reading and for your support!
NJCE - AH I'm sorry about the time thing! I definitely messed up on those dates (I guess that's what happens when you edit at 11pm at night). I'm so glad you're excited for the story :) The sunglasses are kind of fun to play around with because we'll soon discover just why Beca won't have to wear them to cover any bruises. Chloe is in New York! More will be revealed about her this chapter, and then next chapter is where it all starts to go down. As much as I love taking my sweet time, I had to get Beca and Chloe back together as soon as possible lol. Ugh no, no Chicago. Boo. Boo him and boo Theo and boo Universal for throwing those two in there. Yes! The Bellas will be coming in later chapters (some more than others, but definitely there), and the other major ship will be revealed this chapter! I'm so glad you're looking forward to the story! Thanks so much for reading and for your support!
Jody1990 - What? Me? Write angst? Pshhhhhh I think you must be thinking of someone else! Hahaha just kiddinggggg, but I am so glad that you're looking forward to the emotional roller coaster. I have to say, the fluff will probably be in later chapters but probably with little bits and pieces sprinkled throughout the earlier ones as well. I'm so glad you're excited for the story! Thanks so much for reading and for your support!
Guest (Jan.31) - I'm back! You're back too! It is sad that they all lost touch, but they'll be together again shortly (like in a chapter or two hehe). The family will reunite! I'm so glad that you're looking forward to the story! Thanks so much for reading and for your support!
Icedragone - Ah that's so annoying! Sorry about that! Thanks so much for your kind words :) Beca and Chloe will be reunited soon, I promise! Beca will definitely have to jump through some hoops to keep Theo away from her and the kids. I'm so sorry about your sister's ex-husband. That is horrible. I promise that Beca will not lose custody of the kids because I just don't think I could do that to her. But yes 'manipulation' is a key in this fic, for sure. Please, rant away! I love reading all of the rants and predictions (but sleep is also very important). I'm so excited that you'll be reading this story as it's updated! Thank you so much for reading and for your support!
Chapter 2
Content Warning: Mentions of domestic violence; implied abusive relationship.
Somehow, someway, Beca manages to get three solid hours of sleep before her eyes open to the sunlit bedroom, her kids safely tucked underneath her arms in the strange bed. Beca doesn't move as her vision focuses, flicking her attention around the unfamiliar walls.
When they finally arrived last night, Beca didn't even have time to look around. She procured the key from underneath the welcome mat, slipped into the apartment, and locked the door behind them. With Callie falling asleep beside her, and Henry not even twitching since they landed, Beca kicked off her shoes and took them both to the back bedroom, pulling back the covers and snuggling underneath with a relieved sigh.
Now, Beca can't bring herself to move. If she gets out of bed, the reality of what she has done is going to come back in full swing. She's going to have to unwind herself from the mess of her kids' tangled limbs and make her way through an apartment that someone else is renting for her, with 'belongings' that she's never touched before. She's going to have to look herself in the mirror and stare at her newly liberated self, knowing full well that fear and uncertainty will mask any feeling of freedom that could be trying to shine through.
But, Beca also knows that she has two kids that need her to act as normal as possible. Her two kids that are the light of her entire life, that have no idea what is happening or why they made a cross-country trip in the middle of the night. They're going to wake up and be more confused than ever, and Beca needs to be there for them – she has to be their mother, the same mom that they've always known that they can count on. She doesn't get to be scared, or upset, or uncertain of what the future may hold. She needs to be strong for Callie and Henry. She needs to be strong for her kids.
Beca carefully sits up in the bed, the sheets crunching underneath her. Callie stirs slightly, curling deeper into Beca's side, and Henry remains dead to the world as he lays draped over Beca's chest.
The bedroom is relatively void of any décor; there's the bed, a bureau with a mirror, a bedside table, and a lamp. The comforter is a dark gray color, perfectly plain and capable of satisfying a variety of tastes. The curtains, only pulled half-way over the window, match the comforter, tying the room together. Beca had told the other woman that she didn't need anything besides a mattress – honestly, the mattress could've been on the floor for all she cares – but she can't help but feel grateful that the room looks more homey than she was expecting.
Moving as slowly as possible, Beca slides out of Callie's grasp, and lays Henry down on the bed beside her before the young girl has a chance to notice the absence of her mother. They both readjust under Beca's watchful gaze, the brunette not daring to take another step until she is sure that their breathing remains steady and even. After they fall still once more, Beca quietly backs out of the bedroom, partially closing the door over so that she can hear them if they wake up.
Beca rubs the sleep from her eyes, a familiar ball of anxiety settling into the pit of her stomach as she examines the space around her. Across the hall from the bedroom that they slept in last night, is another room about the same size. Beca cautiously approaches the threshold, peering around the corner into the bedroom. Two twin beds – one of which has a removable barrier on one side – are pressed up against each of the outer walls, both of them covered in bedding that matches the other bedroom. There's an empty bookshelf in the corner, with a matching dresser on the opposite wall. Each bed has an end table beside it, small lamps sitting on the surface. It's kind of hard to imagine that this is where her kids will be sleeping from now on.
With a soft sigh, Beca backs out of the bedroom and carefully makes her way down the hallway. As she reaches the living area, the faint noises of the city reach her ears, something that she hadn't realized she missed so much until right this moment. Her eyes flick to the living room furnishings; a couch, coffee table, and a television perched on a black console on one side of the room, with a table and four chairs closer to the kitchen. Beca can't help but shake her head in disbelief. This is more than she ever could have imagined, and she knows she has a lot of thanking to do when the blonde undoubtedly shows up at the door later on today.
Moving on to the kitchen, Beca lets out a sigh of relief when she sees there are already some groceries in both the fridge and some of the cabinets. Milk, a few packages of deli meat, a jar of strawberry jam, a couple things of yogurt, and some veggies line the shelves of the refrigerator. In the cupboard next to the fridge, there's a loaf of bread, a couple of boxes of mac and cheese, some peanut butter, and two different boxes of cereal, all of which can be eaten with the dishes that are piled neatly in the next cabinet over, and the cutlery in the drawer.
Not for the first time since she left LA, tears start to swell in Beca's navy blue eyes, wondering, as she takes in the food, what possibly possessed her to take her kids across the country with absolutely zero financial resources, a single suitcase, and an often paralyzing fear of her husband that only mildly subsides when she reminds herself that she needed to get her kids out of that god damn house. But even so, this plan started to form a little more than three weeks ago. Beca had thought about it for a while but had never put anything in place.
Now, here she is, standing in the kitchen of an apartment that isn't hers, in a city over two thousand miles away from where her husband thinks she is.
Down the hall, the bedroom door creaks open, drawing Beca's attention away from the cabinets. She quickly wipes the few tears that escaped off of her cheeks, composing herself with a deep breath, before she pokes her head out of the kitchen and into the hall, already knowing which one of her children is awake. Henry, always being an early riser, is standing in the hallway with his arms still wrapped around the alligator, looking confusedly at his surroundings. Beca's mouth tugs up into a grin, crouching down slightly and holding her arms out to her son. "Morning, buddy."
Henry digs a tired fist into his eye as he tries and wakes up, slowly waddling down the hall to where his mother is waiting, before leaning into her embrace. She presses a kiss into his curls, easily lifting him onto her hip. "How'd you sleep?" As an answer, Henry rests his head on Beca's shoulder, still nowhere near awake. His eyes, however, continue to take in the apartment, knowing full well that this is not his home. "Do you have to go potty?"
Beca smirks as Henry nods sleepily, allowing himself to be carried into the bathroom (which is already stocked with towels and toiletries), and positioned on the toilet. When he finishes, Beca helping to wash his hands at the sink, she lifts him back onto her hip without another word. Henry is very rarely talkative when he first wakes up in the morning, so Beca takes solace in the fact that this silence isn't a reaction to waking up in a new place (even if she knows those questions will come soon enough).
Beca moves as quickly as she can with only one hand, pouring some Cheerios into a bowl, splashing a little milk onto the cereal, and finding the smallest spoon at her disposal, before sitting at the table with Henry on her lap. The apartment is silent save for the horns beeping out on the street, and the sound of Henry chewing on the cereal with each bite. Beca hums quietly as he eats, every once in a while pressing her lips to the crown of his head, simply taking comfort in the fact that she is here, with him, away from everything that they have run from.
After a little while of eating, Henry eventually pushes the bowl of cereal away, looking up at his mother with a toothy grin. "All done!"
Beca can't help but laugh, "All done, huh? Do you want to go get washed up?"
Henry looks inquisitively up at his mom. "Juice?"
Beca shakes her head, denying him the juice and cartoons that he's had every single morning for as long as he can remember. She did think to pack some of Henry's sippy cups, but the actual apple juice seems to be missing from the equation. "We'll get some soon, okay? Do you want some milk?" Beca takes one look at Henry's frown and tries again, "What about Big Bird? Do you want to watch some Sesame Street?"
At the vigorous nod, Beca breathes a sigh of relief. It's not like she ever had much help from Theo to begin with. She had refused to get the kids a nanny when they had Callie, so she spent a lot of time with them. Sometimes, the kids would come to the recording studio where the staff was under strict instructions (and a legally binding Non-Disclosure Agreement) not to ever post pictures of them or talk about them in public, and when Beca was on tour, they would accompany her on the bus. She has always hated leaving them alone with a sitter and even Theo when he got worse. Yet, there's something different about truly being alone.
She can do this. "Alright, let's go find Big Bird." Beca swings him into the air, peppering his stomach with kisses as he lets out a squeal of laughter, before plopping down on the couch. She turns on the television, quickly flipping through the channels in search of that one show, before, thankfully, Beca sees the familiar puppets on the screen.
Henry lets out a giggle of delight. "Big Bird!"
As Henry nuzzles into her side, Beca sinks deeper into the couch, perfectly content with watching the show with her son.
About an hour and two episodes of Sesame Street later, Beca perks up at the sound of someone else leaving the back bedroom. She leaves Henry on the couch where his gaze is plastered to the television screen, and rounds the corner to hopefully find Callie. However, when she glances down the short hallway, the little girl is nowhere to be seen.
Head quirking slightly to the side, Beca creeps down the hall, remembering – not for the first time – that she is still in the leggings and sweatshirt that she flew across the country in. The master bedroom is empty, the covers strewn to the side, but as Beca turns around, she sees Callie standing in the second bedroom, taking in the perfectly-made beds and the empty shelves.
Beca taps lightly on the door, knowing just how much she hates it when people sneak up on her and not wanting to give her daughter the same fright. "Morning, Cal."
Callie doesn't turn around immediately. Instead, she runs her hand over one of the comforters, looking around the room with wide eyes. When she finally faces her mother, there's a slight wrinkle in her forehead from the way her features are drawn in confusion. "Where are we?"
Beca takes a tentative step into the bedroom, her heart once again picking up speed. Honestly, she's surprised that Henry hasn't asked any questions yet – especially about the whereabouts of his various toys. Although Beca has been chalking it up to the fact that he's probably still exhausted, she's not going to question it further. She hasn't prepared what she wants to tell him.
Unfortunately, Callie is older and is much more aware of these things, and Beca doesn't exactly have a choice in regard to waiting.
The older brunette takes a seat on the corner of the mattress, reaching out her hand to guide Callie onto the bed next to her. "We're in the apartment that I was telling you about. In New York City."
Callie's eyes continue to flick around the room. "Whose apartment is it?"
Beca brings her hand down through her daughter's curls, "It's a…friend's, bug. But we're going to be staying here. At least for a little while."
This time, Callie meets her mom's stormy blue orbs, grateful that she has finally taken those stupid sunglasses off. "How come? What about home?"
"Well, Cal, this is going to be our home for the time being." Beca's heart breaks as she watches her daughter's shoulders sag slightly, the weight of Beca's words starting to crash down on her.
Callie sniffles, her mind racing with what she's hearing. Home is where you stay forever. When she was younger, she went on tour with her Mama a few times and sometimes heard her call the bus they slept on, 'home'. But they always went back to their home home. "But… what about Karla? And all of our things? And our rooms? And our toys?"
Beca pulls Callie in tightly against her side, pressing a tender kiss into the top of her head. "We'll get new things. We'll get you guys new toys, and new books, and you can decorate the room however you want," as soon as Beca gets a job and a paycheck, "and we'll see Karla again." The last bit of her statement doesn't hold as much reassurance as Beca hopes for, but she'll try and be as convincing as possible if it means keeping Callie happy. "We're on a trip, kiddo, remember? A fun trip with just me, and you, and Henry."
"What if I don't wanna go on a trip?" Yesterday, it had all seemed great. But now, staring at this room that most certainly isn't like her bedroom at home, without the familiar purple bedding and the stuffed animals and her books and the small desk where she always does her homework, all Callie can think about is going back to LA. Going back home.
Luckily, Beca doesn't let this stop her. "What?! You don't want to go on a trip with your Mama in New York? Don't you know how much fun we're going to have?" The tears stop rolling down Callie's cheeks as she looks up at the older brunette, hoping for something to disprove her fears. "Come here, bug. Let me show you something."
Beca stands from the bed, holding her hand out for her daughter. When she feels the small fingers interlace with her own, Beca leads her over to the master bedroom, where the early afternoon sun is streaming in through the curtains. She lifts Callie up onto her hip, grunting slightly because, let's be honest, as small as the girl is, Beca carried a two-year-old around all night and her arms are still a little shaky, before peering out the window. Beca can't help but smile as Callie looks out into the streets below, her eyes widening at the hustle and bustle. "Look at this place! It's so big, and there are so many things to do. We're going to go to the parks, and the museums; we're going to go to these amazing restaurants and we're going to have so much fun."
Beca bounces Callie on her hip, before trying once more. "I promise, Cal. New York is so much better than LA. You're going to love it."
Slowly, Beca watches the acceptance cross Callie's face. She gives Beca a small nod, her attention still focused on the ground below, which causes a wave of relief to wash over Beca. She presses a kiss into her daughter's cheek. "Alrighty. How about you go potty and then I'll get you something to eat. Do you want Cheerios or Frosted Flakes?"
Callie answers quietly, slipping out of Beca's grasp as she places her back on the ground. "Frosted Flakes, please."
"Excellent choice. I'll be right out." As Callie heads across the hall into the bathroom, Beca unzips Henry's backpack and grabs one of the sippy cups from the depths of the bag. She retrieves the red one, and heads back into the kitchen. Henry is still entranced by the television, The Cat in the Hat now playing, and he barely notices as his mother goes back into the kitchen.
Returning to the cabinet, Beca takes out another bowl and a spoon, and grabs the cereal and milk afterward. She fills both a sippy cup and one of the plastic cups that she finds in the cabinet, with milk.
"Here, Henry," Beca hands off the sippy cup, her son muttering a quiet 'thank you' as he tries his hardest not to let his mom disturb his show. By the time she turns back around, Callie is slowly padding out into the living area. "Take a seat at the table, bug. I'll bring your cereal over."
Beca retrieves her daughter's breakfast – well, lunch, now, because it's officially one in the afternoon according to the clock on the stove – and joins her at the kitchen table after she says good morning to her little brother. She pushes the cereal around with her spoon, before quietly taking a bite, not engaging in any form of conversation.
The silence that follows gives Beca ample opportunity to take in the beginning stages of her new life. Her kids are safe, in a new apartment, going about their morning routines, without Beca worrying about whether or not Theo will come in and get angry while they're sitting right there. Sure, she's worried about other things, namely whether or not Theo has realized they are gone yet, but sitting here, watching Callie and Henry continue on living their lives without knowing the severity of the situation they were – are – in, is enough to bring Beca a small semblance of peace.
That is, until she hears a knock on the door.
Beca's heart stops in her chest as she looks toward the locked barricade separating her and her children from the horrors that could lay on the other side. Callie lifts her head in the direction of the sound, as does Henry, but Beca can barely move out of her seat. She digs her teeth into the inside of her lip, trying to calm her breathing, as Callie flicks her eyes over to her. "Mama, there's someone outside."
Beca forces a small smile on her face, "I know, bug, thank you."
Another knock resounds through the apartment, this time a little lighter and more hesitant than the first. Beca takes a deep breath, "Are you done eating, Cal?" Callie nods, still focusing on the fact that there is clearly someone waiting at the door. "Alright, do you think can you do something for me?"
Callie shrugs. She's seen her Mama look like this before; her face gets pale and she is always trying to cover up her fear with a smile. It typically happens when her dad gets angry (his face gets really red), and then Beca will ask them to go upstairs to their playroom. When they come back, she always looks sad. But she never says she is, even when Callie asks.
"Can you go into the room we slept in last night, and get dressed? And maybe help Henry get dressed, too?" Callie knows better than to object, so she just nods once more, slipping off of the chair and walking over to where her brother is sitting. It takes a brief moment of persuasion, but they're soon walking towards the back bedroom with Beca calling after them. "Thanks, Cal."
Left alone in the kitchen, Beca wipes her sweaty palms on her pants, before shaking her hands out. She ignores the wedding band – the one that often feels more like a set of handcuffs keeping her in this life than a sign of love – on her left ring finger, instead focusing on the skin around one of her thumbs, the surface already red and irritated from where she's been picking at it since last night.
When she hears the kids safely in the bedroom and unzipping the suitcase, Beca pushes herself out of the chair and slowly – incredibly slowly – creeps over to the door. She leans in towards the peephole with the blood rushing in her ears, not sure what she'll do if it's Theo standing out there, before she lets out a small breath of relief when she sees the familiar face.
But only a small breath of relief, because, besides the three times she has talked to this woman over the phone in the past weeks, Beca hasn't seen or talked to her in over ten years. Not since the USO tour. Prior to the first phone call, the last time Beca had even heard her voice was when she left a pretty vulgar voice mail on Beca's phone telling her that she needed to stop being a bitch and call Chloe because "she's not going to let her shatter her best friend's heart and then leave her to clean up the pieces."
Yeah, that one stung just a bit.
And she deserved every word.
Beca runs an exhausted hand over her face, mentally preparing herself to open the door. With one more deep breath, she turns the deadbolt, removing the chain lock from where it is trapped within its metal cage, and opening the door just a crack, so Aubrey – and anyone else who may be in the hallway – can barely see her face.
Yet, Aubrey would recognize the short brunette anywhere, so when the door opens and Aubrey takes in the small glimpse of the woman that she had once battled so ferociously with, but then considered one of her closest friends, Aubrey shakes her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you're actually here."
Aubrey Posen is the epitome of a 'put together' woman. Her perfectly curled hair, her pressed pantsuit with shining heels that get polished at the end of every week. Her manicured nails and her prim and proper expressions. But, when she sees the Beca Mitchell opening the door of the apartment Aubrey had signed the lease for two weeks earlier, her jaw practically drops to the floor.
She hurries into the apartment when Beca motions for her to cross the threshold, before turning around just in time to watch the brunette lock both of the mechanisms on the back of the door. When she finishes, she stands awkwardly in front of Aubrey, not knowing what to do with her hands, and certainly not being able to meet her gaze.
There's something about Beca that Aubrey can't put a finger on. She looks the same as she did the last time that she saw her, but standing here, mere feet away from each other, she also looks so incredibly different. Her chestnut locks are pulled up into a bun on top of her head, and her skin is pale just like it always has been. But there's something about her stature, the way she's slightly hunched over, fiddling with her fingers, that gives away the fact that Beca has nowhere near the amount of confidence that she once did, and that is enough to make her look like a completely different person.
Beca knows that Aubrey is staring at her, those green eyes looking her up and down. Despite herself, Beca practically shrinks under her stare, not knowing what to do or how to address the woman.
In all honesty, once she came to the conclusion to leave Theo, the decision to call Aubrey had been an easy one. Well, not easy in the sense that it was easy calling and asking for help to leave an eight-year-long marriage with the kids that they have together. But, easy in the sense that Beca knew that Aubrey was the one person who might not treat her with the same pity and fragility that others would be more inclined to; especially when those others are Bellas. She knew that she could count on Aubrey for help with the logistics, which is what she most desperately needed – and still needs. And a part of her thought – and hoped – that Aubrey wouldn't be afraid to show the anger that Beca still knows she harbors inside of her. That she might eventually yell or blame Beca for leaving – all of which Beca needs to hear someone else say. She couldn't imagine any of the other Bellas doing that.
Yet, as Beca slowly brings her eyes up to the blonde captain that made her first semester of college less than desirable, the pity and sympathy that she been dreading – that she does not want – shines right through.
Figuring that Beca won't be the first one to talk, Aubrey swallows the bundle of nerves that has become a permanent part of her everyday routine since she got that first phone call from Los Angeles. She opens her mouth to say something, but the words disappear from her mind. Eventually, she settles on, "Hi, Beca."
Slowly, Beca raises her head, forcing a tight-lipped smile onto her face. Never, in a million years, did she ever think that she would be back in New York, standing in front of one of the girls she left behind. "Hi, Aubrey."
Aubrey shifts from foot to foot, contemplating her next move. When her secretary had first said that a 'Beca Mitchell' was on the phone for her, Aubrey's initial reaction was to ignore it. Then she wanted to tear the brunette a new one. But after hearing what Beca had to say, practically all of that anger fell away.
Well, kind of.
She still doesn't understand why Beca hadn't reached out to them – or at least Chloe – before it got to this point. But it doesn't matter now, because Beca is here. In New York. Safely away from her husband, and Aubrey can't help but feel relieved. "Can… can I give you a hug?"
Beca doesn't say anything. Instead, she takes a hesitant step forward, answering the blonde's question for her. She stiffens almost immediately when Aubrey wraps her arms around her torso and separates from the embrace in a matter of seconds. When they pull apart, there's a soft smile on Aubrey's face. "I'm really glad you're here."
The brunette brings her hands together, once again digging at the skin around her thumb, and still not quite being able to hold eye contact with Aubrey. "Well, I have you to thank for that."
Aubrey doesn't hesitate to shake her head. "No. You made the first step, Beca. I just set a few things up."
A small, barely audible snort escapes Beca's mouth, the tension and awkwardness palpable in the room. She finally brings her eyes to meet Aubrey's. "Thank you, for all of this. It's more than I ever could have imagined, and I'll pay you back as soon as I have the money and –"
Aubrey waves her off, "Don't worry about that right now. That isn't important." Beca falls silent, a slight sense of shame starting to creep up on her. "What time did you get in this morning?"
Beca takes a few steps into the apartment, wringing her hands together. She knew that the reunion would be awkward, but she didn't realize that it would be this strange. She didn't realize that she would be as embarrassed as she's currently feeling, standing here in Aubrey's apartment, in front of the woman who is nothing but successful, as Beca had to come crawling back to her for help. "Um… around six, I think. Maybe closer to seven."
Aubrey follows her into the kitchen, taking a brief moment to look around at the living space. She's been spending the last few weeks setting this up, trying her best to make it as comfortable as possible for Beca and her kids, both of whom Aubrey still doesn't know anything about. "Were there any problems at the airports? Karla called when she dropped you off, and I didn't see any mention of you in the tabloids or online."
"No, no problems that I know of." Beca ignores the pounding of her heart inside of her chest. "Do you want water or anything?"
"No, thank you." Aubrey tries to calm Beca's obvious nerves with a small smile. "What about the kids? How are they doing?"
When Beca had first mentioned that she has two kids, Aubrey was shocked. Of course, that was after she was still trying to recuperate from the shock of Beca's phone call in general, but she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had never really pictured Beca as one to have kids (well, Aubrey knew she would if her and Chloe ever got together because it's always been Chloe's dream to be a mom), and after following her career and never once hearing a mention of little alt-children running around, she almost couldn't wrap her mind around what Beca was telling her. Then again, what Beca told her was pretty slim. All she said was that she has two kids, a seven-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son, and that was it. She didn't get their names; she didn't get their hobbies or their interests. Just a small mention of their existence, spoken only after Aubrey had incorrectly assumed that Beca needed only one plane ticket.
However, now, at the mention of her kids, Beca's face genuinely brightens. "They're good. Well, I mean, as good as they can be. They don't really know what's happening." There's a small moment of hesitation, before she flicks her eyes down the hallway. "Do you…do you want to meet them?"
"I would love to."
Beca has imagined this moment countless of times since she had Callie. The moment where her best friends, the girls that once meant more to Beca than anything else in the entire world, met the children that changed her life. The moment where they would get to meet their niece and nephew, where Callie and Henry got to meet their aunts. Naturally, the occurrence of imagining these scenarios gradually decreased over the years as Beca came to the conclusion that the Bellas would never be able to meet her kids, but now, walking down the hallway with Aubrey, she doesn't really know what to expect.
"Oh my goodness what is going on in here?!"
Aubrey can't help but allow her eyebrows to arch slightly in surprise as Beca addresses the two children sitting on the floor of the master bedroom. Her voice raises an octave as the biggest smile appears on her face, the brunette kneeling down in front of a little boy and girl, sitting amongst piles of unfolded clothes strewn across the floor.
The little boy looks up to his mother with a cheeky grin, while the girl looks slightly frustrated. Neither of them have noticed Aubrey yet, and Beca's daughter instead focuses on her mother. "I can't find Henry's green shirt."
Beca pulls her face into a frown, giving all of her attention to her daughter, and seemingly forgetting that Aubrey is standing right behind them. "Well, why do you need the green shirt? He has plenty of other clothes right here."
"Because he wears the green shirt with the black pants."
"Hm…" Beca settles onto the floor and Aubrey watches as the toddler waddles over to Beca and sits down on her lap. It's like observing a completely different person than Aubrey knew ten years ago, and a completely different person than the woman Aubrey has been slowly reacquainting herself with. "What if he wears this red shirt instead?"
The little girl examines the spilled contents of the suitcase, her face drawn with the same concentration that Aubrey has seen on her mother countless of times, mostly when she was working on a mix or the setlist for the Bellas. It's amazing how much the kids look like her. They both have Beca's dark blue eyes, and her curls. They definitely have her small stature, because neither of them looks to be the typical size for their ages. They're adorable, no question about it.
"Fine." A small voice emerges from the little girl's mouth, picking up the red shirt from her mom's hands. She shifts slightly so that she's closer to Henry, who raises his arms for his older sister, and allows her to take his pajama top off and slide the new shirt on instead. When the shirt is fully on, Aubrey watches as Beca plants a kiss first on Henry's head, and then her daughter's, her grin never once fading.
"Thank you for your help, bug."
The seven-year-old gives her mother a small smile, before her eyes drift upwards behind Beca's shoulder, locking gazes with Aubrey. Aubrey gives her a small wave, but the girl's eyes widen instead, turning back to Beca. "Mama…"
Beca looks over her shoulder, as if just now realizing that Aubrey is still standing there, before addressing her daughter. She spins slightly on the floor so that Henry is still on her lap, with the girl's hand in her own. "Guys, I want you to meet someone." She looks between the two kids, "This is Aubrey. Aubrey, these are my kids, Callie, and Henry."
Aubrey sinks down to the ground, her mouth turning up in a smile. "It's so nice to meet you both."
Beca can feel the tension in her kids' bodies, as well as her own. They aren't used to meeting a lot of new people, what with their excursions out of the house being relatively limited. In fact, Callie regularly refers to both Beca and Karla – who is their homeschool teacher – as her best friends. When they do go to work with Beca or they go out on the road, both Callie and Henry are always much shyer and quieter than their normal selves. Beca runs her finger over the back of Callie's hand, all the while keeping her arm around Henry and securing him in her lap. "Can you guys say 'hi' to Aubrey?"
Henry gives her a shy smile, but Callie just continues to stare at the older woman, not entirely sure as to why she's standing in front of them. Aubrey takes notice of the dark green Barden University sweatshirt on Callie's torso, and can't help herself from addressing it. "I love your sweatshirt, Callie. I have one just like it."
The little girl's eyebrows furrow slightly, and Aubrey catches herself wondering whether or not Beca's kids know anything about Barden or the Bellas, for that matter. Surely Beca couldn't not tell them about anything that happened prior to their birth, right? "Really?"
Aubrey nods as Beca shifts her gaze down to the ground, as if reading Aubrey's mind. "Really! I went to Barden for college."
"Papa gave it to me. He used to be a teacher there."
Aubrey flicks her eyes up to Beca, only to realize that the brunette is doing everything in her power not to look into Aubrey's green orbs. All Aubrey can do is continue her conversation with Callie. "That's pretty cool. What did your Papa teach?"
"He talked about books."
Aubrey grins, still trying to get Beca to look at her, but to no avail. "Well, aren't you a lucky girl."
Callie shrugs. "Do you like to read?"
"I do, but sometimes I don't have enough time to actually sit down and do so."
It's clear that Callie is starting to get more comfortable, because she loosens her grip on Beca's hand. "That's what Mama always says. She only reads with me. Daddy likes to read though." Both Aubrey and Beca stiffen at the mention of Theo, something that goes unnoticed by the seven-year-old as she turns to her mom. "Can we call Daddy and talk to him?"
For the first time since Aubrey started talking about Barden, Beca forces herself to bring her gaze to her daughter's. Aubrey watches with bated breath as Beca struggles to come up with an answer. Somehow, she does so almost instantly, and as she says it, it's quite believable. "Not right now because Daddy's working. But maybe later." She brings her hand up to her daughter's curls, gently running her fingers down her long locks. "Speaking of reading, you still have to do yours for today, right? Do you want to go sit on one of the beds and do your thirty minutes?"
If Callie is upset by the answer regarding calling Theo, she doesn't show it. Instead, she just nods in excitement. "Where's my book?"
Beca seems relieved that the subject is so easily dropped. "They're in your backpack."
Aubrey watches in amazement as she is once again forgotten about, Callie running over to where her backpack is tucked in the corner by the dresser. Beca easily pushes herself off the floor and lifts Henry on her hip. Before long, Aubrey is following them out of the master and across the hall to the bedroom that she set up for the kids, laughing slightly as Callie jumps up on the bed closest to the window, and settles deeper into the pillows. Beca turns on the bedside table lamp for her, giving her a light kiss on the forehead, before reassuring her that they'll just be in the kitchen.
Beca leaves the bedroom door open and, after sitting Henry back on the couch with his stuffed animal and his attention being grabbed by yet another television show, returns to the kitchen where Aubrey is standing against the counter. She can't help but look at the brunette in amazement. "They're pretty incredible, Beca."
Beca gives her a nervous laugh, glancing fondly behind Aubrey at her son. "Thanks."
"No, seriously. You're so good with them, and they're absolutely adorable." When Beca doesn't answer, Aubrey nervously spins the ring on her finger, the one tick that has calmed her since it appeared. She lowers her voice, "It's great that they still see your dad."
Despite herself, Beca can feel the tears starting to burn the back of her eyes. She leans against the opposite corner, the counter digging into her lower back. "They don't, not anymore, anyway. He died a couple of years ago. Before Henry was born. Heart attack."
"Oh." Aubrey's heart sinks. It's not like Beca has revealed very many details about her life in LA. In fact, the blonde knows almost nothing (although, her version of nothing seems to hold more information than what the other Bellas may have). "I'm sorry, Beca."
Beca shakes her head, ignoring the look of pure pity on Aubrey's face. "Not your fault."
Aubrey sighs, not at all liking how downtrodden the brunette is acting. She just seems so quiet and almost reluctant to talk. As much as Aubrey would like to blame it on the fact that they haven't been in each other's presence in over ten years, she knows that isn't even close to the whole story. Aubrey can't even imagine how vulnerable her friend must be feeling right now. She knows that she certainly wouldn't be comfortable in this situation.
She's been reading up on victims of domestic violence, and she's been doing all of the research, yet Aubrey still has no idea how to address Beca. As much as she wants to treat her the same way they would've treated each other back at school, with biting remarks and sarcasm-laced responses, Aubrey can't bring herself to do it.
Beca can see the wheels turning in Aubrey's brain as she looks her over. The blonde is undoubtedly wondering how Beca managed to let it get this bad. How she let herself be put in this position. How she even thought it would be okay to call Aubrey after ten years.
Beca's thought the same things countless of times, and now, standing here, she has no idea what to say. No idea what to do. So, she just stands there, until Aubrey let's out a small, "Oh!"
Beca watches carefully as Aubrey goes over to where her purse is on the table, before pulling a small device from its depths. "This is for you. I added it to my plan. The number is a brand new one."
"Aubrey…"
The blonde shakes her head, practically forcing the phone into Beca's hand. "No. No objections. I'm not taking it back."
Beca gives her a small smile, taking the phone and placing it on the counter behind her. She had left her old one (along with every other technological device that she and the kids own) in Los Angeles. "Thank you, Aubrey. For everything."
"Stop thanking me. This is what friends are for." Aubrey takes a few steps backward, letting out a soft sigh. "So...have you thought about the restraining order?"
Beca shakes her head, not liking the way her stomach lurches at the sudden change of topic. "We can't. He'll be able to find us."
Slipping into her lawyer cap, Aubrey remains as serious as she would be if she were talking to a paying client and not her friend. "But he won't be able to get to you."
"It's a piece of paper, Aubrey." Beca keeps her voice low, knowing full well that while Henry has no idea what they're talking about, Callie will have nothing but questions if she hears them and doesn't understand. "It's too soon."
Aubrey lets out a soft sigh, already having figured that this would be the answer she was going to get. "Okay. Are we still going to go to the elementary school to register Callie tomorrow?"
Beca gulps. She has gone back and forth with whether or not she should enroll Callie in a normal school. She had wanted to, back when she was getting ready to start preschool, but Theo nipped that desire in the bud. But the fact of the matter is, besides wanting her to have as much of a normal life as possible, Beca's going to need to get a normal, nine to five job if she's going to afford the apartment and taking care of two children on her own. As much as she might like to, she isn't going to have time to homeschool her (or the resources). "Yes, please. If you have time."
"Of course. I meant it when I said I was going to be here for you, Beca. You're not in this on your own." It takes everything in Aubrey not to reach out and wrap the brunette in her arms. She's never been big on hugs herself, but there's something about the way Beca is acting, like she's going to shatter into a million pieces and drift away. "Lewis Elementary is right down the street. It's a great school. I've already called the office and they said we can come in tomorrow after dismissal to get her all set up."
Beca gives her a small nod, not bothering to ask any questions. "Thank you."
Aubrey starts to remind Beca once again to stop thanking her but catches herself before saying it. "And we can go grocery shopping tomorrow, too. I got you guys some stuff, but I wasn't sure what you or the kids would like."
"Okay."
The two women fall into a slightly uncomfortable silence, neither one of them knowing what else to say. Aubrey doesn't want to leave – especially when she still knows absolutely nothing about how Beca is truly feeling – but she also doesn't want to overstay her welcome. It's just so strange being in the same room with her, and not having anything to say or talk about.
Beca's gaze falls slightly. She can't kick Aubrey out of her own apartment, it just doesn't work like that. But right now, Beca is so embarrassed and nervous and, quite frankly, scared, of what the next few days will bring. All she wants to do is sit on the couch with her kids in her arms and keep themselves locked in the apartment forever. Yet, she also hasn't seen Aubrey in so long, and feels as though she owes her some kind of conversation, especially after everything that Beca has asked her to do.
Her eyes drift to where Aubrey's hands are clasped in front of her, a diamond ring glistening in the light of the kitchen. Beca juts her chin in the direction of the rock, doing her best to maintain a sense of normalcy within this reunion. "Who's the lucky guy?"
When Beca called Aubrey, there had been no chit chat. There wasn't any small talk about their respective lives and their jobs… Beca simply jumped right in with asking whether or not Aubrey would help her. The only thing Beca knows about what Aubrey's been up to for the last ten years, is that she's an attorney and a pretty successful one at that. That little fact only presented itself when Beca had done a Google search while Theo was at work. Beca had already decided to call Aubrey, but when she realized that Aubrey could help with the legal side of things too, Beca was slightly relieved.
"Um, girl, actually." Aubrey blushes, twisting the ring around her finger at Beca's widened eyes. "Stacie and I got married about five years ago."
Beca can't even try to hide her surprise. This is one development that Beca hasn't even thought to imagine. "Stacie? As in Stacie Conrad?"
A small laugh escapes Aubrey's mouth. "Yes, Stacie as in Stacie Conrad. A little while after the tour, I decided I wanted to start law school back here in the city. We met up for dinner one night. One thing led to another and we got an apartment together. She proposed after graduating from med school."
"W-wow. Congrats, I guess." This newfound information hits Beca like a ton of bricks. Not just the part about Aubrey and Stacie being married (because, let's be honest, Beca has always known that she wasn't the only one questioning her sexuality during their time in the Bellas), but about everything. The marriage, law school, med school. So much has happened since Beca has last seen any of the girls, and the only person she can be upset at for not being up to date on their lives, is herself. "Med school, huh?"
The corner of Aubrey's mouth curls up in a smile, revealing the overwhelming sense of pride that she always feels whenever she talks about her wife. "Yeah. Once Bella was a little older, she decided that she wanted to go back to school to become a pediatrician. We lived off of ramen for, like, the first two years of our relationship, but it was worth it. We both love our jobs, and we both love each other… it's been good."
Ignoring the hollow feeling in her stomach, Beca allows her mind to drift to Stacie's daughter. She only met her once in person, and that was after they got back from Europe before she was whisked away to LA. "How's Bella?"
"She's great. She's ten going on thirty and so much like Stacie that it's not even funny. We signed her up for dance classes when she was younger, and she absolutely fell in love with it."
Beca blinks away the burning at the back of her eyes. "That's awesome." She flicks her eyes to where Henry is still sitting on the couch, the stuffed alligator tucked underneath his chin. Her next question comes out as almost a sad, guilty whisper, that Aubrey has to strain to hear. "So, she knows, too?"
"I had to, Beca. I couldn't keep something like this from her." Beca gives the blonde a slow nod, having already known the answer to her question before asking. Beca and Stacie had been close during their time at Barden, but now, all Beca can picture is how Stacie is just another person that knows how much she screwed up her entire life. "She's here for you, too, Beca. All of the Bellas would be if you told them."
Beca shakes her head. "No."
Aubrey sighs, "Beca, all they're going to want to do is help you and make sure you're okay."
Despite the usage of the 'they' pronoun, both Beca and Aubrey know that the blonde is talking about one Bella in particular. It's the same Bella that Aubrey had asked Beca if she could tell. If she wanted her to know.
It's the one Bella that Beca wants to face least of all.
"Aubrey, I'm not telling anyone else."
Aubrey draws her mouth into a tight-lipped smile, giving Beca a small nod and realizing that now is not the time to get into this. It's not her place to force her to talk about everything that happened in LA, even if she knows that it'll help. "Okay."
Sitting with her back to the door, Chloe watches fondly as her fifth-graders run around the playground of Lewis Elementary during their recess while eating the pasta salad that she packed herself for lunch this morning. She loves this time of day when she can just sit and watch the kids that she has grown to love, having fun and being carefree little children with no worries in the world. It's the same feeling she gets when she looks over her classroom at their faces, all of them drawn in concentration if they're doing individual work or laughing with their friends if they aren't. It's a constant reminder of how much she loves her job, and Chloe doesn't think she'll ever get sick of it.
"Hey, stranger."
A grin is spreading across Chloe's face before she even turns around in her chair to greet her visitor. "Stacie! What are you doing here?"
Stacie laughs, leaning down to give Chloe a brief hug before pulling a chair up beside her desk. "Eh, slow day, thought I'd come pay my favorite redhead a visit."
Chloe eyes Stacie suspiciously, holding in a laugh as the leggy brunette struggles to get comfortable in one of the small plastic chairs that her students sit in. "Your office is on the other side of the city."
Stacie shrugs, "So?"
In all honesty, Stacie wasn't sure if it was the right move to come visit Chloe today. She's been feeling incredibly guilty around her since Aubrey had called her three weeks ago at work after stress vomiting in the bathroom.
Contrary to how her wife has been acting, Stacie has been adamant about not telling Chloe what's been going on with Beca. She has had to talk Aubrey down from numerous ledges over the last few weeks about that specific predicament. She knows it isn't their place, and the fact that they're even interfering as much as they are is enough. But even though she knows keeping it all a secret is what they need to do because that's what Beca asked them to do, it doesn't make it any easier.
Chloe laughs, placing her now-empty Tupperware container on her desk. "Okay, fair enough. How has your day been?"
"It was good… treated a kid for a pretty nasty sinus infection, so that was fun."
Chloe scrunches her face in disgust. "Gross."
Stacie chuckles, "Yeah, it wasn't the best, but you know… all in a day's work." Stacie allows herself to take in Chloe's persona. She looks happy, right? Well, Stacie knows that it's touch and go every once in a while, especially when she gets a little too drunk and ends up sobbing in either her or Aubrey's arms wondering what had happened with Beca and why she just stopped talking to her. Those nights are never fun, especially when neither Aubrey nor Stacie know whether or not to tell her to get over the brunette that had left her heart broken and find someone new, or if they should be getting upset, too, because, as much as Chloe and Beca definitely had something special, Aubrey and Stacie lost a friend as well. "What about you? How was your day?"
"It was good!" Chloe brightens at the question, gathering her curls into her hand and laying them over one shoulder. "I had a tutoring session with one of my students and it went really well. Math isn't really my forte, but I was so proud of him when he started making progress."
"That's awesome, Chlo."
There's something about the way that Stacie says it, that makes Chloe quirk her eyebrow slightly. Stacie has definitely calmed down over the years, but that just made her sound… contemplative. Yes, that's the word. Like there's something else on her mind. "How're the girls doing? Is Bree working on a case or something? I haven't heard from her in a few days besides a text here and there."
Stacie forces another smile on her face. She shouldn't be surprised that Aubrey hasn't been talking to Chloe; she's always had trouble keeping things from the redhead. But she doesn't like the fact that Chloe thinks something is wrong. Then again, she can't exactly blame her. "They're good. Bella was actually wondering if she could interview you for her class's Career Day. They're supposed to meet with someone that does what they might want to do in the future."
"Aw!" Chloe lets out a giddy clap. She loves that little girl more than anything, and both Stacie and Aubrey are so amazing with her. When Chloe broke up with Chicago, one of the main reasons she returned to New York was so she could be closer to their little family. At first, like all of their friends, Chloe was a little surprised that Aubrey and Stacie had started dating, but Chloe quickly realized that Stacie is the exact type of person that Aubrey needed in a partner. "Of course! When does she need it done by?"
"Not for a couple of weeks I think… she'll probably spring it on you on Saturday. You're still coming over for dinner, right?"
Chloe nods vigorously. Their Saturday night dinners that normally end in movie nights and too much red wine consumption, are the highlight of Chloe's week. Sometimes they do them at Chloe's apartment, but more often than not, Chloe goes to their house just outside of the city. "Definitely. What do you want me to bring?"
Stacie waves off her question, "Probably just wine… I have no idea what Bree is going to want to make so I am not going to even suggest an appetizer that might throw off her plan."
A light laugh escapes Chloe's mouth, "Okay, perfect. I can't wait!"
Thank you so much for reading! As always, I look forward to hearing any thoughts/comments/predictions/critiques/questions/etc. that you may have! We're taking this one nice and slow in the beginning, but I promise, it will pick up.
I am going to try and post the first one shot of Everything in Between on Sunday, for those of you who are waiting on that!
Hopefully I'll be able to get on a more frequent update schedule once school/work calms down but the next chapter of Leap of Faith will be posted on Wednesday! See you then!
