Thank you so much for all of the support last chapter!

NJCE - I'm so excited that you're so excited for the story! Keeping the reason why they moved so suddenly a secret from the kids has definitely been hard to write - just because I want to make sure it's realistic for all those involved. Yup! Aubrey is back (no Amy yet) and definitely a Mitchsen friendship - and there will be more, too! Ooo I understand your confusion with Theo - sorry about that. Nope, they met during the USO tour just like in PP3, and then following the tour, Theo flew her out to LA for the record deal with Khaled's label. To your last point about Aubrey maybe trying to get Chloe to know without actually telling her - hehehehe good eye. That will be explained in this chapter :) I'm so glad that you're enjoying this! Thanks so much for your kind words and your support!

Icedragone - Thanks so much for your kind words! I'm glad you got the email on time! Yes, Staubery has the same jobs as before - I've only ever been able to picture Aubrey as a lawyer and I just like the idea of Stacie being a doctor! Aubrey's reasoning for not becoming a doula will probably come up at some point! I definitely think that Aubrey will have trouble controlling herself if she's around Chloe before Chloe finds out - but the question is, when will Chloe find out ;) Aubrey being sneaky sneaky is right! Good catch! That'll be explored more in this chapter, too. Your ex-brother-in-law sounds horrible. I'm so sorry you and your family have had to go through that. Yay for no work! Woot woot! Thank you so much for your kind words and your support!

Wolvezzz - I didn't really see any other option for Beca to call either! The Beca/Chloe dynamic is certainly a tough one but I am so excited to explore it. I love your prediction! We will see! Thank you so much for your kind words and your support!

Guest (Feb. 6 1/2) - I'm so glad that you're enjoying the friendships and relationships dynamics so far! It's been really fun exploring because clearly Aubrey and Stacie are acting differently in terms of Beca's situation, and then there's Chloe who is oblivious at the moment but still in love with Beca, and then there's the Aubrey-Stacie-Chloe trio that've been together since Beca left - it's not going to be easy to navigate! I have never been able to picture Aubrey as anything other than a lawyer either! Yeah... I would say restraining orders, as good as they sound, don't do much some times. I haven't seen Enough, but I will certainly look into it! But the premise sounds very realistic - the US legal system isn't designed to help victims of domestic violence, unfortunately./ To your second review: that's so funny that PP3 was on TV! Now you've been introduced to Theo and well... I'll let you make your own opinions lol. Also: -_- why must you do this to me?! I've seen Life Unexpected - great show - but I hadn't thought about putting it into a Bechloe context and now that's all I've been able to think about since I read this comment! I'd probably change some things bc I don't know if I'd want to have Jesse play a big role and make it more Beca/Chloe instead but now I have a whole pages of notes now! What the heck! It's definitely unrealistic but still made for a good show I think, and as long as nobody writes it before then, this might have to be my next project! Thanks so much for sharing it with me! Thanks so much for your kind words and your support!

Guest (Feb. 6 2/2) - Ah I'm so excited that you're so excited! Oooo let me hear your predictions! I love reading all of them! Callie is a very inquisitive sweetheart that is going through a lot right now and it kills me to write her so upset. I'm hoping for the best too :( Yes! You've got it! Even though Beca called Aubrey she got Stacie without even knowing hahaha. The gang's getting back together! Hehehe Aubrey is very sneaky and purposeful indeed! Great catches! Saturday night dinner is coming and interesting that you used the words "bump into"...hmmm I wonder what that means. Hahaha thanks so much for your kind words and your support!

Jody1990 - Oof yeah that reaction can either be someone *cough cough Beca* blowing up or a more resigned sort of reaction. Idk about ripping your hearts out (at least with that scenario) but it will not an easy journey in the slightest (but ripping your hearts out might come later on - sorry!). And is Beca going to be pissed? Hmm... keep an eye out for Chapter 4, my friend ;) Thanks so much for your kind words and your support!

CJ3 - Thanks so much for your kind words and your support! I hope you enjoy Chapter 3!


Chapter 3

Content Warning: Implied references to domestic violence/domestic violence situation

Aubrey has always been a morning person. She knows, that in order to have a productive day, she cannot get up any later than four-thirty. She has to get in a good five-mile run on the treadmill and eat a breakfast that will hold her over until lunch. It's always been this way, especially since college. But, since getting married and becoming a mom, she has begun to thrive on this routine.

Which is why, when her wife comes stumbling down the staircase at six-thirty after finishing getting ready, Aubrey is already at the stove flipping the last pancakes on the griddle, with juice, coffee, and fruit already set up on the breakfast nook.

Stacie comes up behind Aubrey, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist and perching her chin on Aubrey's shoulder. "Morning."

Aubrey turns slightly, pressing a kiss into Stacie's forehead. "Morning. Breakfast?"

Stacie straightens so she can give her wife a proper good morning kiss, smiling against her lips. "Please. How'd you sleep?"

As they separate from each other and Aubrey stacks a few pancakes on a plate, she shrugs. She hasn't been sleeping the greatest these past few weeks, and Stacie knows that. "Okay. I thought I'd be able to sleep better now that she's in the city, but I was still up for most of the night."

Stacie takes a small sip of coffee, holding the mug with two hands and letting the scent wake her up. She quietly thanks her wife for the pancakes and meets her gaze over the rim of the mug. "It'll get better once Chloe knows. At least we know that Beca's safe now. That's all that matters."

Aubrey sighs. It's not like she hasn't done everything in her power to make sure Beca and Chloe see each other eventually. Their apartment buildings are a few blocks away from each other, and Callie will be attending the school that Chloe teaches at. She's just been initiating... gentle pushes to help guide the two women back together. Even if Beca doesn't think she wants it, both Aubrey and Stacie know that the brunette is going to need all the support that she can get, and Chloe has always been her number one supporter. "I know, but if we just… I don't know told her something…"

"We can't, Bree. We promised Beca. You promised Beca." Stacie takes a bite of the pancakes, savoring the taste. "You're seeing her again today, right?"

Aubrey nods, "I'm supposed to be going over this afternoon and bringing them down to Lewis to register Callie. I told her that I would bring her grocery shopping, too." Aubrey eventually left the apartment yesterday after she managed to get Beca to eat a sandwich. Apparently, she hadn't eaten since the morning of their departure, and the poor woman had seemed like she had forgotten all about it.

"Good. Have you thought about what's going to happen if you accidentally see Chloe at the school?"

Aubrey's curls bounce from side to side as she shakes her head. "Nope. But the secretary that I've been speaking to said that the teachers have their weekly staff meeting this afternoon, so I'm just going to hope for the best."

Stacie lets out a small laugh through another bite of pancakes, though there's still an underlying sense of worry about what might happen if they actually do see each other. "Solid plan, babe."

"But if we just told Chloe..."

"Aubrey, we have to give Beca some time to get reacquainted with the two of us. Then we can talk to her about getting them together for dinner or something. Baby steps, remember?"

They had talked for a while last night after Bella went to bed about how Beca had been acting in the apartment. Aubrey had told her all about how different the brunette seemed, and how closed off she was compared to when they had first met her. Sure, Beca's never been the touchy-feely type who willingly talked about her feelings, but this Beca took it to a whole new level. It was almost as though she couldn't even bear to look Aubrey in the eyes for fear of revealing something about herself that she didn't want the blonde to know.

Stacie also heard all about Beca's kids, the two adorable children that seem to love their mother with their whole heart. Aubrey told her about how Beca completely changed her personality when she was interacting with them, and Stacie found herself wishing that she had been there to see it, too. She misses her friend – and has missed her for as long as she's been gone. The fact that she has this whole life that neither Stacie nor any of the other Bellas are a part of (or know anything about), makes it even more difficult not to just go over and see her.

Aubrey places some of the dishes into the sink. "But we know she's going to need all of our support and she's not going to admit it… if we thought Beca was stubborn before, I feel like she's ten times as stubborn now."

"Who's Beca?"

Both women glance up in the direction of the voice, smiles appearing on their faces as they see their daughter already dressed and ready to go to school. Aubrey keeps her hands busy, preparing a plate for Bella. Sure, they've mentioned Beca before, especially in reference to the various pictures of the Bellas around the house where there's one brunette that never attends any of her birthday parties or their annual get-togethers. But as Bella has gotten older, the mentions of Beca, at least when Aubrey and Stacie are around her, have gradually decreased. Yet, Stacie answers her as if it is the easiest question in the world. "She's your aunt."

Bella's eyebrows crinkle in confusion as she accepts a hug from Stacie and the breakfast from Aubrey. She has plenty of aunts, none of whom are related by blood, and almost all of whom were in the Barden Bellas with her moms. She's met all of them, and loves them with all her heart, and while the name 'Beca' sounds vaguely familiar, Bella finds it very hard to believe that she has an aunt that she has completely forgotten about. "My aunt?"

Aubrey watches her wife carefully. They haven't really talked about how they were going to introduce Bella to Beca, but clearly, Stacie has thought this through. "Mhmm… she was in the Bellas with us. She just moved back to New York."

For Stacie, any anger that she previously held toward Beca about completely dropping out of their lives all those years ago, disappeared with the first phone call to Aubrey. It's obvious that it wasn't her choice, and right now, she doesn't need anyone angry with her. She needs the love and support of her family that she hasn't been allowed to contact for the last ten years. As far as Stacie is concerned, Beca is still Bella's aunt and always will be.

"Oh. Have I met her?"

Stacie nods, taking another sip of her coffee. "When you were a baby; right after you were born."

Bella ponders this for a moment as she digs into her breakfast, still not entirely convinced, and wondering why her mom is speaking about this missing aunt like it's no big deal. "Where was she living before?"

Stacie lifts her gaze to where Aubrey has been cautiously watching the conversation. At her hesitation, Aubrey answers. "She was on the West Coast working. You'll see her again at some point."

"Hm." Bella falls silent, eating her breakfast while her moms are exchanging looks behind her head. It's what they always do when they're trying to either a) figure out what to say, or b) warn the other from saying too much. They like to think they're sneaky, but Bella caught on to that tactic, and many others, ages ago.

Oh well, she'll find out more about this Beca character someday.


Beca suppresses her third groan of the last ten minutes, sitting on the ground with her daughter standing defiantly in front of her, arms crossed over her chest. "Callie, please. You can't wear the sweatshirt again, or the leggings for that matter. They're dirty and we have to look nice."

Callie scowls down at her mother, face getting redder by the minute. "I don't wanna change my clothes."

"I know you don't, Cal, but I need you to. Look, I'm wearing jeans and a nice shirt, too, and so will Henry once he wakes up from his nap." In all honesty, all Beca has on is a long-sleeved black shirt and a pair of jeans. It's not 'nice' by any means, but it's definitely more acceptable to wear that than a dirty sweatshirt to the school where your daughter is supposed to be starting next week. "Please, bug, you can pick out any other shirt you want. What about the purple one? You love the purple one."

"How come I even have to go?! Why can't Karla still be my teacher?!" She stomps her foot as her voice rises, the tears starting to swell in her eyes.

Callie has been having a difficult morning. First, it was that she didn't want cereal for breakfast, then it was because she wanted to watch her own show and not Sesame Street. Then it was that she wanted to call Theo and didn't understand why he was still working. Now, it's the fact that she has absolutely zero interest in going to a real school, with other kids, for an entire day, instead of being homeschooled by Karla and her mother.

And, while Beca has been incredibly patient, knowing full well that this is not easy on either of her kids, it is getting increasingly difficult to hear the pain and hurt and confusion in her daughter's voice.

"We talked about this, Cal. You're going to have so much fun at school. You'll get to read a whole bunch of new books; you'll be able to make some new friends. Trust me, you're not going to want to leave once you get there." Beca searches Callie's face for some sort of acceptance, fully aware of the irony in her statements considering that Beca hated school and didn't really make a friend until college.

Well, she had some in high school that were less than positive influences, but Callie won't hear about those until she is much older.

Callie shakes her head, her braids flinging back and forth. That was the one positive of the morning: she had practically begged Beca to braid her hair and the older woman was more than happy to oblige. "I don't want to! Why can't we just go home?!"

The pain in Beca's chest is almost as though Callie has taken hold of her heart and is squeezing it with all of her might. "Bug, we're going to be staying here for a while, and that means you have to go to school."

Callie sets her face in the most heart-breaking pout that Beca has ever seen, her eyes narrowed with anger, her lower lip sticking out slightly. It might be because she's barely gotten any sleep in the last forty-eight hours, or because she feels like she is continually failing her children, but it just about breaks Beca. She tries to stay strong though, staring at her daughter and waiting for her to cave. Eventually she does, her question coming out in a small, trembling whisper. "Does Henry have to go to school?"

Beca nods, "He does. It's a different kind of school because he's a little younger, but he'll be with kids his own age and with teachers just like you."

"What are you going to do when we're at school?"

Beca shrugs, pulling her mouth to one side. Good question, kid. "I'm going to get a job and then I'll be at work for most of the day."

This time, the pout on Callie's face is replaced by confusion. "You're not gonna sing anymore?"

Although Beca is sure that Callie doesn't understand the full extent of her celebrity, the seven-year-old does know that her mother sings for her job. Why else would she always be at a recording studio, or on stage, or have all of those really expensive-looking outfits in her closet that she is never allowed to touch?

Beca sighs, "I don't know, bug, probably not." The loss of her job has been the least of her concerns. She's never really liked the performing aspect of her career and found it much more enjoyable to sit on the other side of the glass in the recording studio with the production team instead of by herself with the microphone. She had broached this idea with Theo occasionally at the beginning of their relationship (both working and romantic), but he had always shot her down. Now that she's in New York, she has no idea what she's going to do, but the idea of going back to her roots and starting to DJ again has crossed her mind.

Of course, it's going to be much more difficult if she is trying to hide the fact that Beca Mitchell is in the city instead of back in Los Angeles where she is supposed to be recording her fifth album, so she hasn't really thought about it that much.

"How come?"

Beca smirks at her daughter's typical line of questioning, loving the fact that she is slowly returning to her normal self instead of the frustrated one (and rightfully so) that she's been all morning. "I don't know… I'm not really sure if I like singing anymore."

Callie frowns as she steps closer to her mom, allowing Beca to slowly work her arms out of her Barden sweatshirt, and into the long-sleeved purple one that has been waiting on Beca's knee. "You're not going to sing for us anymore?"

Beca instantly denies this notion, pulling the shirt down over Callie's head. "Oh, I didn't say anything about that… you guys will just be the only ones I sing for. How does that sound?"

Callie shrugs, "I guess that's good…"

Beca shakes her head with a laugh, bopping her daughter on the nose with her finger as a knock resounds through the apartment. Beca stiffens, but glances at the clock and notices that it's the exact time that Aubrey said she would come by and pick them up. She relaxes slightly, and hands Callie her jeans. "Good. I'm going to go see who's at the door, and I want you to finish getting dressed, alright?"

Callie doesn't seem impressed, but takes the jeans anyways, starting to slide her leggings off as her mom leaves the bedroom.

Beca quickly makes her way towards the door, ignoring the various lists that she has sprawled across the counter and making the kitchen look significantly more dirty than she typically likes. After confirming that it is Aubrey outside of the door through the peephole, Beca opens the door and motions for her to come in with a small – albeit brief – smile, before locking the door back up and feeling instantly relieved as she does so.

The brunette forces another smile on her face, taking in Aubrey's blush-colored dress and her outrageously tall heels that closely resemble the height of the ones that Beca has worn on stage before. "Hi."

Aubrey gives her a genuine smile of her own, sliding her purse off of her shoulder and placing it in one of the chairs. "Hi, how are you doing today?"

Beca runs a hand over her own hair, knowing that it looks absolutely ridiculous in a loose bun hanging halfway down her head compared to Aubrey's perfectly styled blonde curls. "I'm fine. You?"

"I'm good… where are the kids?"

Beca lets out a breathless, "oh," waving her hand in the general direction of the bedrooms. "Henry's still sleeping, and I've been trying to get Callie dressed. Sorry, it's been kind of a wild afternoon… I wanted to have them all ready for when you got here but –"

"Beca, it's okay. We have plenty of time," Aubrey reassures her with a soft smile. The brunette looks exhausted, with dark bags hanging under her eyes that are even more prominent due to the minimal use of makeup. "What can I do to help?"

Beca bites the inside of her lip, continuing to ramble because not only is the idea of going out in public giving her major anxiety, she still is nowhere near comfortable with Aubrey being this in-tune with her daily life. Well, her new daily life, as well as the happenings of her old life. "Um, I think I'm okay… I'm just going to go wake up Henry and then get him dressed and –"

"Mama, can I wear my frog socks?"

Callie walks quickly down the hallway, the socks in question already in her hands. Much to Beca's relief, she is completely dressed in the outfit she laid out for her and doesn't seem as upset as she was a little while ago.

Grateful for the distraction, Beca goes to meet her in the living area. "Of course you can. Your sneakers are by the door… can you put those on afterward?" The younger girl nods, settling into the couch and pulling the socks onto her feet. "Okay, I'm going to go wake up your brother. I'll be right back."

With Beca heading back to the bedroom to get Henry and Callie focused on her socks, Aubrey is left standing in the kitchen without much to do. She doesn't want to overstep, but she also doesn't want Beca fending for herself. So, she selects a pair of purple Sketchers from beside the door, and cautiously makes her way over to the couch. "Hi, Callie."

Callie looks up from where she's pulling her last sock on. There's a brief flicker of confusion that crosses her face, before recognition in the form of a small smile replaces it. "Hi."

Aubrey glances down at the socks on her feet. Sure enough, they're grey with a picture of pink frogs on both of them. Aubrey hands the sneakers over to Callie, who takes them warily. "I like your socks."

Focused on putting her sneakers on, Callie doesn't even look up to answer. "Thank you. Karla gave them to me because frogs are my favorite."

A soft laugh escapes from Aubrey's mouth at the matter-of-fact way that she says it. "Is that so?"

She starts to tie the laces, her little fingers carefully working to knot the two strings. "Mhmm." When she finishes, she looks up at the blonde with her head quirked slightly to the side, as if she is waiting for Aubrey to say something.

"Did you have a good night last night?"

Callie shrugs. "I finished my book."

"Really? What book was it?"

This time, Callie seems actually excited to answer. Still wary, but excited nonetheless. "It's called Vacation Under the Volcano. It's number thirteen of the Magic Treehouse series. Those are my favorite books. I'm going to read all of them."

Aubrey gives her an impressed nod. "That's pretty cool. You like to read, huh?"

Callie pulls her legs onto the couch, folding them underneath her. "Yup. I love reading. Especially when Mama reads with me. She does different voices and it's really funny."

As much as Aubrey would kill to see and hear Beca do different voices for the characters in Callie's books, she can't even find this new revelation funny. Instead, she finds it quite adorable and wishes that she could be present just to see that bond between Beca and her daughter. "I bet she does a great job."

"Hey, Cal, can you go potty for me please?" Beca comes around the corner looking even more stressed than before, with Henry perched on her hip and still dozing on and off with his alligator in his hands.

Callie looks over to her mom, "I don't have to go."

"We're going to be gone for a little while… are you sure you don't need to go?" Beca arches her eyebrows as if to ask Callie if she is really sure.

Eventually, Callie caves, and slips off the couch, walking in the direction of the bathroom. Aubrey chuckles at the exchange, remembering having the same exact discussion with Bella when she was younger. All Beca does, though, is shake her head before moving towards the counter to start getting her purse ready.

Using her one free hand, Beca starts to pile random things into her bag. She throws her phone in next to the manilla folder that has Callie's birth certificate and a few other important forms, the grocery list she has been working on, places her sunglasses by the bag, before grabbing one of Henry's sippy cups and filling it with water. She catches a glimpse of the clock on the stove, suddenly moving much faster. "We're going to be late, aren't we?"

Aubrey stands from her position at the coffee table, sensing the brunette's stress level rising (which is saying something coming from Aubrey). "We're fine. The receptionist said to come any time after three and before four-thirty. It's only two-fifty now."

Beca lets out a soft sigh of relief, struggling to screw the cap onto the body of the cup with Henry in her arms. She manages to do it, handing the cup to Henry, who silently takes it with his head still on Beca's shoulder. The poor kid only slept for about an hour, when he's used to at least two hours in the afternoon.

"Okay, Henry, you have your water… Callie is in the bathroom…" Beca runs through her mental checklist, eyes flicking around the apartment for things she's forgetting. "Oh! Henry, you need shoes…" She turns away from Aubrey, bending down to pick up the small sneakers on the ground beside her own. She takes a seat at the kitchen table, struggling to get Henry's shoes on while he contently sips his cup. "Alright, monkey, there's that."

Beca lifts him back onto her hip and looks around the apartment once again, Aubrey trying to stay out of her path but also searching for ways to help. "Do you have Callie's birth certificate?"

Beca nods, slipping her own shoes on. She took both of the kids' birth certificates and all of their social security cards from the fire-safe lockbox underneath her and Theo's bed the moment he left the house so she wouldn't forget. "Yeah, it's in my purse…" She finally locks eyes with Aubrey when Callie comes out of the bathroom.

She simply lets out a soft sigh, bouncing Henry slightly and shooting Callie a reassuring smile. "Alright, Cal, you ready?"

Callie nods slowly and steps forward anyway, ready to take her hand when it's offered to her. Beca slides her purse over her shoulder, puts her sunglasses on her face, and after making sure the keys are in her bag, takes Callie's hand. "Ready?"

This time, both Aubrey and Callie give their affirmations, and before anyone else can say anything, they're leaving the apartment.


Beca's hand tightens around Callie's as soon as they are out of the safety of the apartment building. The brunette stiffens, head already on a swivel with her heartrate increasing as she takes in the flow of New York pedestrians, which Aubrey notices immediately. She finds herself checking out her surroundings, too, watching specifically for people taking pictures of Beca and the kids. Luckily, she doesn't see anything, but Beca is still clearly on edge.

Beca bends down to her daughter, locking eyes with Callie even though their gaze is interrupted by Beca's sunglasses. "You need to keep holding on to my hand, Callie, alright? There are a lot of people out here, and I don't want us to get separated."

Callie nods, her own anxiety rising due to the sheer amount of people out on the sidewalks. When Beca is sure she understands, she returns to Aubrey's side, allowing herself to be led down the street in the direction of Callie's new elementary school.

It only takes them about ten minutes to come to the building, a lighter gray archway on the brick surface. There are groups of students milling around the sidewalk, some with teachers, some with parents, and some just on their own talking with friends. Beca watches as Callie seems to move even closer to her side, and she gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. Aubrey brings them through the crowd of kids excitedly waiting to get home, and into the safety of the building.

Even with the walk being silent, Beca knows that her daughter isn't alright as soon as they get into the lobby of Lewis Elementary School. There certainly aren't as many people in here, and the few that are, are absorbed in their own conversations, but Callie stops dead in her tracks once they start approaching the office. She grips Beca's hand like there's no tomorrow, causing the older woman to turn around in concern, and squat down in front of her when she notices the tears swelling in Callie's steel blue orbs. "You okay, bug?"

Callie shakes her head, desperately wishing she was home right now with her mom and Karla wrapped up together in a blanket on the couch. "I don't want to."

Beca gives one fleeting glance to the three other people in the lobby, each of them absorbed in their own task or conversation, and despite every fiber in her being telling her not to, Beca moves the sunglasses up on top of her head. Aubrey steps closer to the trio, giving them a little more privacy with the help of the wall they've stopped beside, as Beca keeps a tight hold on Callie's hand. "What's wrong? There's nothing to be afraid of."

"I don't want go to school."

Beca gives her a soft smile, trying to balance Henry on her knee. "You don't have to go to school today, Cal, we're just going to sign you up for some classes. It's just going to take a few minutes and then we're going to go to the grocery store, and then back to the apartment. I'll be with you the entire time."

Callie's grip never loosens. "Promise?"

"Pinky swear." Beca holds her other pinky out, which proves to be rather difficult because she still has to hold on to Henry, but Callie manages, locking their fingers quickly. "That's my girl." Beca pushes herself back up into a standing position, giving Aubrey a small smile that lets the blonde know that they can continue on to their destination. Aubrey expertly weaves through the lobby, stopping only when they are inside of the office with the door closed behind them. There's only one window looking out into the hallway, and Beca takes extra care to shift so her, Callie, and Henry, aren't exactly in the line of sight of the rest of the people in the building.

Aubrey immediately takes control of the situation, which Beca has never been more grateful for, because between Callie's almost-breakdown, Henry who is being unusually quiet, and the fear that the woman has for being blasted to the tabloids by a middle-aged soccer mom, she isn't too sure that she'll be able to have a conversation with the secretary.

"Hi, I'm looking for Annie. I spoke to her on the phone a few days ago about registering a new second grader."

The secretary looks up with a soft smile. Her hair is gray to the point it's almost white, and the wrinkles dotting her face are enough to reveal that she's on the older side. But still, the kindness shines through. "I am the lady you're looking for. You must be Mrs. Posen."

Aubrey grins, holding out her hand. "Yes, it's so nice to meet you in person." Aubrey glances quickly behind her as Beca slowly approaches the pair, both of the women being grateful that the office is empty except for the secretary. "This is my client I was telling you about, and her daughter, Callie."

Annie's face lights up as she takes in the little girl in front of her. "Hi, Callie. It's so nice to meet you. Welcome to Lewis Elementary."

Callie shifts so that she's practically hidden behind Beca's leg. Beca gives the secretary a weak smile. "I would shake your hand, but I am currently out. I'm Beca, Callie's mom."

If Annie recognizes her, she doesn't make any indication (whether it be because she truly has no idea who Beca is, or if she is under strict instructions from Aubrey not to say anything, Beca isn't sure). Instead, she just tilts her head in welcome. "It's nice to meet you, Beca. We're so glad that Callie is going to be joining us next week."

Beca moves her hand so that it's pressed against the back of her daughter's head instead, slowly rubbing circles in between her braids in an attempt to soothe her racing nerves. "Callie's just a little nervous at the moment, but she's excited too, huh, Cal?" Callie doesn't answer, simply tightening her grasp on her mother's leg. "Thank you for finding a spot for her on such short notice."

"Oh, no worries. Our second-grade teachers can't wait to meet Callie." Annie types a few things on the computer, before the printer whirs to life. "So, Mom, what I'm going to need from you, is her birth certificate, two proofs of residency, and her immunization records; I'm going to give you a registration form, an emergency contact card, and two questionnaires."

Beca nods, forcing herself to remove her hand from Callie's, and reaches into her purse. She takes out the manilla folder and hands it over to Annie, in exchange for a clipboard and a stack of warm papers, while she turns to Aubrey, lowering her voice to a whisper as her face grows red with the increasingly-familiar feeling of shame. "I don't have any way to prove residency."

Aubrey is already pulling two papers from her own purse, giving them to Annie without saying anything. Instead, she just rests her hand on Beca's shoulder with a small smile.

For about the millionth time in the past three weeks, Beca wants to cry and give Aubrey a hug all at the same time. But, now is neither the time nor the place, and actually hugging Aubrey doesn't seem very appealing right now, so Beca just leads her kids over to a set of chairs so she can start filling out the forms.

While Beca gets started on the paperwork, completely absorbed with the task at hand, as well as keeping Henry and Callie occupied, Aubrey lowers her voice to address the secretary. "Has the rest of the staff been notified about what we talked about last week?"

Annie keeps her voice quiet as well, fully aware that the party that they are discussing is sitting a few feet away from them. She's been talking to the attorney on and off for the past couple of days in order to get the school prepared for Callie to start next week. It's definitely an odd situation, but once Annie had told her boss about what was going on, everyone was on board. "Yes. I personally talked to the administration, the counseling department, and Callie's two teachers, with the Dean. Dean McKinley also sent out an email, reminding teachers that discussing privacy matters in terms of parents and students with people outside of the school is strictly forbidden and can result in immediate termination. Both Callie and Beca will be safe here."

As much as Aubrey would have loved to give an NDA to every single teacher in this building, the blonde is also fully aware that that would put an unnecessary target on Callie's back. As long as there is a general understanding by her teachers as to what brought Callie to New York, and that they know not to disclose Beca's identity to the general public, Aubrey hopes that Callie will be fine, and that it brings Beca a little bit of comfort.

"Perfect. Thank you again for all of your help. Both Beca and I appreciate it."

Annie waves her off. "Of course. It was really no trouble. We just want Callie to feel as comfortable here as possible."

It takes Beca about twenty minutes to finish the stack of paperwork. As she fills in all of the required information (leaving the boxes designated for 'Father Contact' void of any marks, but putting Aubrey down as an emergency contact instead), Callie stands pressed against her side for the entire time. There were a few mishaps when Henry went to knock the pen out of her hand, but other than that, it was pretty painless. Regardless, Beca is more than happy to pass the filled out forms to the secretary and shake out the hand that had been holding the pen.

"Excellent! Thank you, Beca." Annie turns her attention to Callie, who has once again pressed herself up against Beca's leg, gripping on to Beca's belt loop with one of her fingers. "And as for you, Callie, we are so excited for you to start on Monday. Your teachers are in a staff meeting right now, but they told me to tell you that they cannot wait to meet you."

Knowing that Callie isn't going to respond, Beca takes the liberty of doing it for her. "Thank you for all your help, Annie. We will see you on Monday."

The older woman says goodbye to the group, watching carefully as Beca slides her sunglasses back down onto her face, and leads her kids from the safety of the office.

The lobby is empty by the time Beca finishes the paperwork, which the brunette is thankful for. She keeps her sunglasses on, though, as they leave the building and go back onto the sidewalk in front of the school.

Aubrey holds her purse tight against her shoulder, turning to face Beca and the two kids who seem to be clinging to her. "Do you still want to go grocery shopping?"

Beca gulps, once again feeling the embarrassment that seems to have become a permanent part of her everyday routine. "I mean, if you have to go back to work it's okay… I can go another day. It's not a big deal."

"That's not what I meant…I just wanted to make sure you didn't want to go back to the apartment instead."

"Oh." The comment escapes her mouth before she has a chance to stop it, her admission quiet. "If you don't mind…"

Aubrey shakes her head. "I don't."

The discussion ends quickly, Beca giving Aubrey a small, yet grateful smile, before they start to walk back in the direction of the apartment building, but with the destination of the grocery store in mind. They had passed the supermarket on the way, and Beca finds herself already trying to map out the streets surrounding where they're going to be living.

As they approach the grocery store, though, the shrill ring of Aubrey's phone reaches their ears, causing the blonde to move off to the side and away from the flow of people. Upon seeing who is on her caller I.D., she asks Beca to hold on just a second, as she answers the phone. She talks for a few moments, frustration clear in her expression, before she turns to Beca with an exasperated sigh. "I'm sorry."

Beca's eyebrows furrow slightly as she readjusts Henry on her hip. "It's fine, it's really not a big deal."

"No, it is, because my intern literally can't handle a single thing on his own. I have to go back to the office and contact the DA before I completely lose this case."

Beca waves her off. "It's fine, Aubrey."

The blonde shakes her head back and forth, not wanting to disrupt the plan that Beca made with her kids for the afternoon, especially considering Beca doesn't like leaving the apartment as it is. She moves to retrieve her credit card from her wallet. "Here. Buy whatever you need. I'll come and pick it up when I see you tomorrow."

Beca takes a step backward, becoming increasingly aware of the amount of people around them. Deep down, she knows that Aubrey was going to end up paying for her groceries, but simply taking the piece of plastic from her seems like something far more humiliating. "I'm not taking your credit card, Aubrey."

Aubrey thrusts the card in her direction, moving closer to the brunette so that some pit-pocketer doesn't just come up and take it from her hand. "Yes, you are. You guys need groceries. They're not going to question you or anything, and if they do, you can just give me a call."

Beca stands her ground, heart rate increasing, as her grip on Callie's hand tightens. "Aubrey, I'm not taking your card."

The blonde takes a deep breath, trying her best to remember that Beca is in an especially volatile state at the moment and that it's probably incredibly hard for her to be accepting as much help as she is. Beca's never been one to ask for help to begin with, so this whole situation has probably been more challenging than she ever could have imagined, but Aubrey also needs her to know that she's not messing around. She's here for her, and so is Stacie. The rest of the Bellas will be, too, once they find out. "Take the card."

"Aubrey."

"Beca." Aubrey lets out an exasperated sigh as Beca seems to set her jaw. It's just like the many stand-offs they've had regarding the Bellas. The only difference is, Aubrey is almost certain that there are tears in Beca's eyes behind her sunglasses. She allows her expression to soften. "Please, Beca. Just take it. We'll get your own accounts set up in the next few days, and then you never have to do it again."

There's a brief moment that Aubrey seriously doesn't think Beca is going to take it, and Beca, herself isn't so sure either. But standing there, in the middle of the sidewalk, Beca swallows her pride for the millionth time, and awkwardly takes the credit card from Aubrey using the hand that is holding Henry. Her voice is quiet afterward. "Thank you."

This time, Aubrey is the one that looks grateful. "Of course. I have to get to the office, but will you call me when you get back to the apartment?"

Beca nods, the tips of her ears still red from the embarrassment burns deep inside of her that comes with her not being able to provide for her kids.

"Okay. And call me if there are any problems or if you need anything." This time, Aubrey doesn't get an answer, so she just continues. "I'll talk to you later, good luck at the store. Bye Callie, bye Henry." She waggles her fingers at the two kids, and after briefly saying goodbye to Beca as well, Aubrey heads off to hail a taxi, leaving Beca alone.

Beca takes a deep breath, trying to force a smile on her face for the sake of her kids. "Alright. Who's ready to buy some food?"


Chloe can't help but grin as the warm sun hits her face when she steps out of the school building. It's been a long day filled with many laughs and achievements, but still long, nonetheless. Luckily, her staff meeting was short, and she has plenty of time to make it to the supermarket to pick up a couple of things before heading home. Normally, she would just head to the bodega on the corner of her street, but today, she's craving the special mini cupcakes that the store down a little way always has, so that's where she'll be heading.

The effervescent redhead walks with a little pep in her step as she holds on to the straps of her backpack. She can feel her laptop pressed up against her back, as well as the weight of the curriculum binders that she has to work on tonight. She can't wait to curl up on her couch with a glass of red wine and Grey's Anatomy playing in the background while she makes her lesson plans for the next week.

The walk to the supermarket is short, with Chloe only having to dodge two people that are running in the other opposite direction. When she gets into the air-conditioned building, she lets out a soft sigh, already starting to hum along to the music that is playing overhead.

Although she doesn't need much, Chloe grabs a basket anyways, slowly making her way down the aisles. Her bright blue eyes scan the shelves, every once in a while stopping to actually look at something, before moving onto the next. Eventually, she heads to the bakery, brightening as soon as she sees the table with the packaged cupcakes.

She peers into each package, trying to decide if she wants vanilla or chocolate cake, before she even considers the type of frosting.

Chloe breaks from her inner dilemma when she hears a distinctly familiar - yet vaguely unfamiliar - voice from behind her.

"No, Callie, you can either have plain or cinnamon raisin, we're not getting both today."

Chloe slowly turns around, not quite believing her ears. There's no way that it can actually be her, is there? Her eyebrows furrow as she takes in the small family of three: a shorter brunette wearing sunglasses, her hair pulled up in a bun on top of her head. There's a little boy sitting in the seat of the cart, cradling a stuffed alligator to his chest, and a younger girl standing in between the cart (which has quite a substantial amount of groceries) and the shelves, holding two packages of bagels and glaring defiantly at her mother. She can't pull her eyes away from the interaction because the woman seems so familiar, but it can't possibly be who Chloe thinks it is.

The little girl – Callie – stomps her foot. "But I always have one plain bagel and one cinnamon raisin for breakfast!"

The woman runs an exhausted hand over her face. "I know, Cal, but we can only get one package today, alright?"

Everything about the way the brunette is standing, her mannerisms, the way she sighs at her daughter, is like a punch in the gut for Chloe. She is so eerily similar to the woman that used to be Chloe's best friend; the woman that she spent more time with than anyone else. Even her voice bears a remarkable resemblance, and Chloe catches herself wondering whether or not the pair of dark blue eyes that she once found herself constantly getting lost in, are hiding behind the pair of sunglasses.

The one major difference between Beca and the woman standing a few feet in front of her, though, are the two children that she has in her possession (well that, and Beca now would have a herd of paparazzi watching her every move). Beca doesn't have kids, which Chloe knows because she's stalked her social media on countless occasions and devours anything that the tabloids say about her. And yes, Chloe knows that makes her sound like a crazed fan, but, come on. If her best friend had kids, even after not speaking for ten years, that is something that Beca would mention, isn't it?

"How come I can't have both?"

The frustration is growing on the woman, that much is clear. She lowers her voice to a warning tone, but there isn't any anger in her statement. Instead, she's patient yet firm. "Callie, we are only buying one today. You can have the plain, the cinnamon raisin, or you can have neither."

Chloe watches as the girl's lip starts to quiver. She has to give it to her; she seems to be pulling out all the stops.

The woman pushes her sleeves up on her arms, crouching in front of her daughter, her voice becoming soft. "Why don't we get the cinnamon raisin today, and we can get plain next time? How does that sound?"

Slowly, Callie nods, handing over the requested kind, and places the other one back on the shelf. When the woman moves to put the bagels into the cart, Chloe's heart practically stops beating in her chest as soon as she catches the faintest glimpse of the headphone tattoo on the inside of her wrist.

This can't be possible.

Beca Mitchell is in New York.

Beca Mitchell is in her grocery store, a mere ten feet in front of her, with two kids.

Her Beca Mitchell.

Her best friend.

The best friend that she hasn't talked to in over a decade.

The best friend that Chloe still calls her best friend despite that small fact.

The best friend that Chloe may or may not have secretly been in love with for the better half of her time at Barden, and even more so after they graduated.

It's just not possible.

It can't be possible.

Can it?

The family of three starts walking further down the aisle as Chloe's feet are glued to the floor, watching them get further and further away. Her palms turn clammy and her mouth runs dry as she contemplates whether or not to move. She can't let them leave but she also has no idea what she can do or say to get them to stay.

Before her mind can tell her otherwise, Chloe's feet carry her in the direction that Beca and her kids are walking away from her. As she gets closer, she swears she can smell the same perfume that Beca always used to wear.

Just before they can turn the corner, with Chloe a few inches behind them, both Callie and Beca oblivious to the fact that they are being followed, the question rolls off of Chloe's tongue.

"Beca?"


Sorry for the cliffhanger! But I had to end this one here! I look forward to hearing any thoughts/comments/concerns/critiques/predictions that you would like to share!

Thanks for reading :D See you on Monday!