Thanks so much for your support last chapter! A nice long one for you folks today - hopefully it meets some of your expectations!

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, and considering most domestic violence restraining order hearings aren't accessible via the internet, I made this as realistic as was feasibly possible due to lack of resources/experience. Please let me know if something is astronomically wrong and I will revise :)

*Please note the new content warnings!

Guest (Apr.7) - I'm glad it didn't feel short! I hope the trial meets your expectations - I certainly did as much research as I could but I'm sure there are going to be some inaccuracies. Thanks so much for reading and for your support!

Icedragone - I'm glad you thought it was an appropriate place to end! Yes haha an almost 12,000 word long trial and this is only part 1 of the legal proceedings! Beca and Chloe have some good moments coming up, I promise. I hope Beca gets the money she deserves and earned too :/ Thanks so much for reading and for your support!

CJ3 - Hahaha a baby cliffhanger to prep for a long hearing ahead! We know some of what Theo has done... some more will be revealed...as for Beca, I think that's certainly more self-imposed guilt than something she's "actually" done. I don't know! Let me know if you pick up on something differently! So glad you're enjoying the fic; thanks so much for reading and for your support!

Wolvezzz - Karla's a good one! She has a few good moments in this chapter too - or, idk maybe some people might get angry at her at the end. We'll see hehe! Beca's really struggling at this point, but I think her decision will be good, and they have a few good moments coming up before the end of Part I! Yes - hold onto that faith! It will all work out! Thanks so much for reading and for your support!

NJCE - Honestly, for the hearing, I really wanted to focus on Beca. I'm not 100% sure if Theo would totally flip because right now he's still trying to put up the whole innocent act. But we'll see how it turns out! This is only part one of the legal proceedings after all ;) Callie definitely won't stop asking questions but we'll see how that turns out for everyone involved...Yes Karla is here and Beca is relieved that is for sure! She shows up a few times in this chapter (I'll let you decide if it's for good or bad scenes hehe). Beca and Chloe's relationship in this chapter is a little different... I'll let you come to your own conclusion - let me know what you think! But they definitely have a few happy scenes coming up within the next few chapters. Thanks so much for reading and for your support!

RJRMovieFan - Lots of tension and I hope that it fulfills some expectations because at this point I've read, reread, and revised so many times that I don't even know if it's decent anymore hahaha. I was going for accuracy and not turning the narrative on Theo, so we'll see! We will definitely see where on the spectrum of horrible Theo falls on, but he still needs to play the innocent act so we will see! I hope Beca hangs in there for a little while longer, and who knows if Chloe will be there! Not me. I definitely don't know. I'm so glad you're enjoying the fic. Thanks so much for reading and for your support!

Guest (Apr.9) - I'm so glad it didn't feel short! Yes Part I is ending soon (might be Ch.17 now)! Who knows what's going to happen before then. Not me. Definitely not me. Court hearing is here! I hope it lives up to yours and other people's expectations! I've reread it too many times at this point to know if it's even decent - I was really trying to go for accuracy in the legal and in the character aspect, and trying not to turn the narrative on Theo. We'll see how Beca and Chloe's relationship develops after this chapter and the next... no hints but I'll be interested to hear your thoughts if you want to share! Karla is here and we'll see how you feel about her at the end! I hope you had a good week, and thanks so much for reading and for your support!


Chapter 14

Content Warning: Testimony, descriptions of abuse and aggressive sexual relationships (brief), abusive relationship, manipulation, child abuse, escaping abusive relationship, panic attacks, mentions of child custody, Theo's lawyer just isn't very nice sometimes. Basically a description of everything that has led up to this point. Beca testifies in the 3rd section, Karla testifies in the 5th, Theo testifies in the 6th.

Beca looks so small.

That is the first thing that Chloe notices as she settles down in the row of chairs behind Beca and Riley Callahan, clutching her purse on her lap, with Aubrey sitting beside her. Karla had to wait outside because she's testifying, but other than that, the courtroom is empty.

Empty, of course, except for Theo and his lawyer sitting on the other side of the aisle.

It took everything in her not to go over and scream at the man when he entered the courtroom. The look of pure panic on Beca's face – even if she refused to look at him – and Aubrey's steady hand on her thigh was enough to keep her motionless in her seat. Instead, she tracked Theo's movements with the most piercing gaze that she could manage.

Yet, surprisingly, Theo never once looked in their direction. He stared straight ahead in his thousand-plus-dollar suit, his lawyer dressed the same way. Since then, they've been whispering back and forth to each other, as though this is a normal business meeting rather than a place where he's being accused of abusing his wife.

God.

She still can't believe it. Even though it's been almost two months at this point since Beca got to New York, she still can't wrap around this horrible nightmare that her best friend has found herself in, and subsequently, the horrible nightmare that she's found herself in, for fear of what is happening - and what has been happening - to Beca.

Tears start to burn at the back of Chloe's eyes. She takes a deep breath, trying to keep her emotions under control. She can't afford to fall apart. Not now. Not when Beca just said that she could come into the courtroom. Not when she is here for Beca.

Aubrey must notice her struggle because she reaches over and takes Chloe's hand, giving it a light squeeze, but keeps her eyes focused on the area in front of them.

They've talked a lot leading up to the hearing date. Mostly Aubrey reassuring her that Beca's going to be alright and that it's just going to take some time to heal in general. Chloe, on the other hand, has been practically begging Aubrey to tell her what she and Beca have been talking about during their pre-hearing meetings with Riley. Which, yes, Chloe knows how selfish it is of her, but she can't help it most of the time. All she wants is to know what she can do to help Beca, and with Beca hardly talking to her, she's never felt more useless in her entire life.

And then this morning… this morning when Beca wouldn't talk to anyone and Chloe thought she would be sitting in the lobby of the courthouse. All she wanted to do was bring Beca into her arms or purchase them all plane tickets to Europe to get the hell out of here.

Away from all of this.

"All rise for the Honorable Judge Campbell."

The bailiff's voice breaks Chloe from her train of thought, as does Aubrey pulling her up to her feet. Chloe watches as the woman dressed in long black robes climbs into the chair at the front of the room. When she sits, so does the rest of the courtroom.

Chloe holds her breath as Judge Campbell goes through a few introductory remarks, her mind barely registering her words, before Riley takes over.

"Your Honor, we're here today requesting the maximum five year protective order for Rebecca Mitchell and her two children, Callie and Henry Wright, from her husband and their father, respectively, Theodore Wright. We are also requesting that full legal and physical custody be given to Ms. Mitchell out of a great need for protection for the two minors."

Chloe watches as Beca's leg bounces up and down underneath the table, her heel tapping lightly against the linoleum flooring. Considering how fast her own heart is beating, she can only imagine how she is feeling.

"Thank you. Mr. Wright?"

Theo's lawyer stands as well, opening a folder and notepad in front of him. "My client denies all allegations made by the petitioner. He has never laid a finger on Ms. Mitchell or their children, and finds it highly reprehensible that she would even claim—"

"Save it for the stand, Mr. Klein. Thank you."

Judge Campbell writes something down as a smug smirk crosses over Chloe's face at the way she shut the lawyer down. With a brief glance to Aubrey and her emotionless, but undeniably serious, expression, Chloe abandons her own, short-lived, satisfaction.

"Alright. Ms. Callahan?"

"Yes…" Riley shuffles some papers around on the table. "I would first like to call Ms. Mitchell to the stand."


Six Years Ago

Chloe has grown to hate these reunions. It's something she never would have dreamed of saying or thinking; the Bellas have been a part of her life for so long that she doesn't know what she would do without the girls.

But in recent years, with the distinct absence of one Bella in particular, Chloe has grown to dread the times where they are all together again, when the one's absence is all the more obvious. Making the ache in her heart that much more painful.

Nonetheless, Chloe plasters on her smile. She plays hostess while helping Aubrey and Stacie in the kitchen – their house being the only one large enough to host most years – while trying to keep Bella out from underneath their feet. She greets each woman with the same hug and welcoming questions, asking them how their jobs are going and whether or not one's significant other is still around.

The question on everyone's mind, though, still hangs suspended in the air around them. It won't come up until later, when the alcohol loosens everyone's inhibitions and frees some of the tension surrounding the topic.

It's not that they don't ever talk about it. It almost always comes up when they're all together – how could it not? Chloe knows she talks about it more with Aubrey and Stacie, sometimes with Emily, too, who is missing Beca all on her own. Chloe is also sure that everyone else has talked about it within smaller groups as well.

It's kind of hard not to when they all feel betrayed; when they all miss one of their closest friends and were forced to break contact for reasons still unknown to them all.

But mostly, Chloe just feels hurt. She misses Beca, she misses their relationship – even if it may not have progressed in a way that Chloe had been secretly been hoping for. So, every time they're all together and the group both collectively shares old memories and brings up topics that still sting, Chloe finds herself wishing the evening away. Wishing that she could retreat to her room or deep within her mind, hanging on to the happy memories that are quickly starting to fade.

Sure enough, though, by the time they're sitting around the fire pit in Stacie and Aubrey's backyard, the nighttime darkness closing in around them like a blanket, Cynthia Rose is the first person to bring up the elephant in the room.

"Did you see that Beca's getting back in the studio to start her new album?"

The resounding silence is only interrupted by the crackling of the fire. All ten of the women exchange brief glances, save for Chloe, who simply looks down at Bella, who is sound asleep on her lap. She knows that at least Aubrey looks her way, but Chloe folds in on herself, not wanting to engage in the conversation.

Because of course she knows that Beca's back in the studio. It's been all over her social media accounts for the last week.

It kills her every time every time she says it, but it's not like she can look away.

Flo nods, taking a bite of the s'more that's falling apart in her fingers. "Yeah, I was a little surprised. She's been off of social media for a while."

"She's probably been on some million dollar vacation with all of her hot celeb friends, sipping mimosas by the pool." Fat Amy takes a sip of her own drink, waggling her eyebrows at the rest of the group.

Chloe presses her lips into the top of Bella's head, anything to keep herself from stopping to cry. Each time she comes up in conversation, it's like a knife twisting into her heart. It doesn't matter how many years have passed. If anything, her absence just makes the pain grow and grow.

"I doubt it. Beca's never been a vacation-type of girl." Cynthia Rose shakes her head with a bitter shrug. "Then again, who knows what kind of girl she is now."

Emily sighs with a fleeting glance in Chloe's direction. "CR…"

"No, I'm sorry, but…" CR sighs, placing her drink down on the damp grass. "You would think that we would've heard from her at some point. Literally anything. I'm sorry, but I can't just forgive that. Or forget it."

Jessica shifts underneath the blanket she's sharing with Ashley. They've stayed close even years after graduation. "I just hope she's happy, wherever she is."

"It would still be nice if she called, though. Even just once to let us know she's okay," Ashley quietly states, keeping her eyes on the threads in between her fingers.

"Well, I thinkkkkk she's okay, guys," Amy drags out, eyes widening as she looks awkwardly from person to person.

Chloe's throat tightens with emotion. Her grip subconsciously tightens around Bella as she holds the toddler close to her chest.

"Guys, stop. She's not going to call. She clearly doesn't want to. Let's just… drop it, okay?" Aubrey runs a hand tiredly over her face, her best friend's silence not going unnoticed. No matter how many times she tells the group, it's like they constantly forget that Chloe - bright, joyous Chloe - breaks a little bit more with every mention of that brunette that Aubrey refuses to spend a single minute more worrying about.

From where she is sitting next to her, Chloe sighs. She shifts Bella in her hold, and stands from the lawn chair, muttering as she walks by, "I'm going inside."

She doesn't need to hear anything else.


"Ms. Mitchell, could you please describe your relationship with Mr. Wright?"

Chloe digs her nails into the palm of her hand as Beca leans forward into the microphone to answer Riley's first question. The screech of the speaker startles everyone in the courtroom, but Beca visibly flinches backward.

When she collects herself, she speaks quietly. "He's my husband and the father of my children."

Riley nods encouragingly. Aubrey wouldn't tell Chloe much about the meetings she had with Riley and Beca, but the small bits she did tell her, all pointed to the same thing: Riley is good at her job, she's not going to let Theo get off without a fight, and she's more than aware of Beca's nerves and fears and will do everything in her power to both assuage them, and not let them get in the way.

"Thank you. How long have you been in a non-platonic relationship with Mr. Wright?"

Beca fidgets with her hands in her lap. "Almost nine years. Married for eight, together for about six months before that."

"And what was your relationship with Mr. Wright like, prior to it becoming romantic in nature?"

Beca gulps, her voice wavering ever so slightly. "He was my music producer and one of the executives that worked at the label I signed with. I'm uh, I'm a – I was – a recording artist for Global Records."

"Right. And you were pretty successful in your position at Global Records, were you not?"

"I guess."

"Would you say that Mr. Wright had anything to do with that success?"

Beca shrugs, looking down at her hands. "Yes. I would."

"How so?"

There's a bit of hesitance, but eventually, Beca speaks once more after she takes a deep, stabilizing breath. "Theo—Mr. Wright, he wanted every album, every single, to be a success. He wouldn't rest until it was."

"How would you describe your work relationship with Mr. Wright? The one that led those albums to be so successful. Was it amicable? A good working relationship?"

Chloe watches as Beca runs her hand over the side of her face. Her eyes are unfocused, flicking from corner to corner of the table in front of her. But she never once lifts them to look out into the rows of chairs in the courtroom.

"He made the decisions. It wasn't really a partnership so much as it was him telling me and everyone else what to do. He would control what was recorded, what I would change, when and where I would perform, what I would wear, who I would hang out with." As an afterthought, Beca says, "who I would talk to."

Riley quirks her head to the side. "All of that happened in a working relationship?"

Beca carefully nods. "Yes. I thought it was normal, just a music industry thing. When I moved to Los Angeles, I didn't know anything or anyone. I only knew Theo because we met on one of his previous tours." Beca sighs, her eyes drifting closed as she corrects herself. "Sorry. Mr. Wright."

Riley gives her a sympathetic smile. "It's okay. You're doing great. I know this isn't easy for you…" Clearing her throat, Riley briefly returns to her table, picking up her notepad and walking back over to Beca. "At what point did your relationship turn into something romantic?"

Beca straightens her suit jacket, clearly doing anything to keep her hands busy. "About six months from when we started working together."

"And did you have feelings for Mr. Wright? Romantic or otherwise sexual in nature?"

Chloe watches as Beca's cheeks flood with heat, yet this must be one of the questions that they rehearsed the answer for, because she recovers relatively quickly. She keeps her eyes on her lap but leans into the microphone all the same. "Not particularly. I had just moved to a new place, away from friends and family. I was lonely, I see that now, and Mr. Wright tended to dictate who I could hang out with or see outside of work. If I wasn't working, I spent most of my time alone. Mr. Wright was the only one that I really socialized with. Looking back, he had done that on purpose."

"How's that?"

Beca's voice trembles. "He wanted to cut me off from my family. He didn't want me to have contacts outside of his control."

For the first time since Beca started talking, Theo's lawyer speaks up, causing not just Beca, but Chloe and Aubrey to flinch as well. "Objection – speculation."

Chloe stays silent as the judge accepts his objection, and Riley returns to a different line of questioning. "Did that control – the one where Mr. Wright seemed to dictate everything that you did – did it ever manifest into something physically violent?"

Beca runs another tired hand over her face and Chloe's leg starts to bounce up and down. You can hear a pin drop in the courtroom as everyone waits for an answer.

"Yes. He… he started getting physically abusive with me shortly after I gave birth to my daughter. We had got into an argument about tour dates and he hit me for the first time. There had always been times where he would grab my arm, or my wrist. He would… sometimes he would get too rough during…during sex, especially when he had been drinking. Those things continued over the years, but the first time he actually hit me had been a few months after my daughter was born."

Chloe's stomach lurches at Beca's words. Her palms start to sweat, and her heart beats a little bit faster inside of her chest. For as much as she has wanted to talk to Beca about what happened with Theo, the information that she has been provided has been relatively limited.

The majority of this – the timeline, his actual actions – are all new.

And it makes Chloe want to scream, and hurl, and take Beca into her arms and hold her all at the same time.

"How did things progress after that, Ms. Mitchell?"

Beca bites into her bottom lip, tears swimming in her eyes. But, just like the strong woman that she is, she takes a deep breath, and says exactly what she has been practicing saying for the last few weeks. "He got increasingly violent. If-if I didn't have any work obligations or anything like that, he would be less cautious about where he would hit, or kick. He tried choking me a few times. He would never do it in front of the kids, and he would always act like everything was fine around everyone that we worked with. We w-would argue about everything, or he would yell and I would cave. I learned to stop arguing after a while. He… he would tell me that no one would care; that I wasn't worth it. By that point I didn't have any friends outside of his network and I had cut off contact with my family – my friends - from home, so I really had no reason not to believe him or listen to him."

Tears start streaming down Chloe's face halfway through Beca's testimony, her breathing shaky as she never once takes her eyes off of Beca's.

"Did you ever try to get Mr. Wright to stop, Ms. Mitchell?"

Beca gulps once more, her composure very clearly starting to waver. "I d-did. I begged him, so much, during the first few years. But he would… he would tell me each time that he could do whatever he wanted because without him, I wouldn't have anything. And he was right. I wouldn't have my kids, who I love more than anything in this entire world. I wouldn't have a job, or a career. He controlled all of our finances. My father died shortly after my son was born; my mother died when I was in high school, so I didn't have any family, not really. The one family that I might have had – my friends from college – I had cut off contact with them years prior. I didn't have anyone to turn to. I was – I was his, and he knew that. I knew that."

Considering every panic attack, every anxiety-ridden breath, every flinch and flash of memory that Chloe has watched Beca endure since her return to New York, the redhead can't help but feel surprised with how strong Beca's being on the stand.

But then again, she isn't, all at the same time. Because Beca's stepping up, being braver than Chloe could ever imagine, just like she always is.

"Prior to the night of September 19th, did you ever try to leave?"

Tears continue to spill at Riley's question, Beca angrily wiping them away with the flick of her hand. "No. I was – I was too scared. Too weak."

"No, Beca. You did what you thought was best for yourself and for your kids. You are not weak – you are the exact opposite of weak." Riley shakes her head, catching her client's eye. "Can you take me through the last couple of months? About what happened, and what changed?"

It takes everything in Chloe not to run up to Beca when she sees the brunette start to tremble in her seat. When she sees the fear in her eyes, and she briefly looks over to see Theo staring at her so intently, that it's like he's trying to control her with a single look. Beca averts her gaze rather quickly, and Aubrey keeps a firm hand on her leg, just about forcing Chloe to stay put.

"He had been getting more violent. Drinking more. Getting m-more ag-gressive some nights. There would be days where I couldn't go into work because of, because of injuries, which just made him angrier. He was more temperamental, would get set off by the simplest little thing." Beca pulls a deep breath in, closing her eyes and only opening them when she blows it out through parted lips. "One night after he got home from a work event, he got – he got really violent. He kicked my ribs and-and my stomach until I could-couldn't breathe. The next morning, my kids' homeschool tutor, Karla Broder, asked me if Theo had ever hurt me. It had been almost eight years of keeping it a secret, but I just sort of… broke down."

"So, you told her?"

Beca nods, her cheeks growing flushed and clearly starting to untether. "I did."

Riley presses gently. "Could you explain what you told her, Ms. Mitchell?"

Beca keeps her eyes closed, her voice seeming a little more steady this time around. "She asked me if-if Theo was hurting me. I nodded. She asked me for how long and I s-started to cry. It just, it all came out. I told her it h-had been years. That yes, he was hurting me. An-and that I couldn't g-get him to s-stop."

"What happened next?"

"Nothing. I told her I was f-fine. That I didn't – that I didn't need help."

Chloe's eyebrows pull together in confusion, having thought, from the beginning, that that would've been the end. That then it would've been the time where Beca called Aubrey and started arranging for the trip to New York.

Riley carefully takes a few steps backward, almost as though picking up on the fact that Beca might need some space. Similarly, she keeps her voice quiet as she asks the next question. "Can you walk us through what changed later on, Ms. Mitchell? What made you leave Los Angeles for New York?"

Beca shakes her head, wiping her hands over her face and bringing streaks of mascara down over her cheeks. She's clearly battling something inside of her brain, and Chloe is sitting on the edge of her seat waiting for the words to break free.

After taking a few more calming breaths – which still come out strained – Beca speaks once more into the microphone. "Theo hit Callie. He-he got upset and hit her. I told Karla the next morning that I needed to-to get out-"

"-I did no such thing!"

The outburst comes out of nowhere, Beca jolting upward in her chair and everyone else's heads whipping in the direction of Theo's voice. Chloe grips on to Aubrey's hand, not at all wanting to believe that that actually happened.

That Theo had the audacity to lay his hands on a child.

That son of a bitch.

"Don't." As though Aubrey can hear her inner thoughts, can hear the burning desire that Chloe has to go over there and strangle the man, she whispers quietly into Chloe's ear. For the first time since sitting down, Chloe realizes that she, too, is crying, which just makes Chloe break down even more.

The judge reprimands Theo's outburst, warning him and his attorney, once more, not to speak out of turn, but the damage is done. Beca is visibly shaking in her chair. She's turning her hands over and over in her lap, her breathing audible in the microphone.

"Ms. Mitchell, would you like to take a break?" Judge Campbell gently asks Beca, who just shakes her head. "Okay. Ms. Callahan, you can continue."

Riley nods, looking to the terrified and utterly worn-down Beca Mitchell sitting in front of her. "Please continue, Ms. Mitchell."

Beca gulps, forcing herself to finish her answer as she stares into the desk in front of her. "I t-told Karla, and she-she helped me get into contact with a friend from college, who helped me get out to New York while Theo traveled to Europe for work."

"Just a few more questions, Ms. Mitchell. You're doing amazing." Riley takes a deep breath, and Chloe hopes – although she can't see – that she is doing something with her face to reassure Beca. "Are you currently scared of Mr. Wright, Ms. Mitchell?"

Beca doesn't hesitate in nodding. "I am."

"What are you scared of?"

Beca blows out a puff of breath, shaking her head more to herself than anyone else. "I'm scared that he's going to hur-hurt the kids more than he ever has. I'm scared that he's going to get so-so angry at me that he is going to… going to end up—" Beca bites down harder into her bottom lip, not needing to finish. "I'm scared that he's going to hurt my kids, the-the people I'm staying with. Their kid. I'm scared that he's going to hurt me."

Riley lays her notepad back on the table behind her, letting Beca's answer hang in the air around them. "Could you please explain to the courtroom how that fear contributed to your decision to take your kids and move to New York City without informing about where you were going?"

Beca brings her hands up over her forehead and down the back of her hair, and even from Chloe's seat, she can see that her fingers are shaking, and sure enough, the glint of the wedding band is still there. "I...I felt like, like it was my on-only option. I was a-afraid that one day, he would t-take it too far. I couldn't put my kids in d-danger like that. Not any more than I already had."

"Thank you, Ms. Mitchell. Thank you for sharing your story and for your bravery."

When Riley returns to her chair, Theo's lawyer stands from his chair. He buttons the front of his suit jacket, his polished shoes clacking across the floor as he gets closer and closer to where Beca is sitting. Chloe can practically see the brunette tense as he approaches, and she can't help but wonder if that's some sort of intimidation tactic he's learned after questioning survivors of domestic violence for years, always representing the abusers rather than those that have suffered.

"Ms. Mitchell, would you please state your age for the court room?"

There's the slightest quirk in Beca's eyebrow, but she answers, albeit hesitantly. She barely makes eye contact with the lawyer. "I'm thirty-five."

He rubs his hand over his chin, looking down at the ground as he paces back and forth in front of the stand. "And how old were you when you started sleeping with my client?"

Beca flinches back some, flicking her gaze to Riley, before answering once more, even more quietly this time around. "I was probably twenty-six? Somewhere around there… I don't-I don't remember the exact age."

"But, even if you can't remember the exact age, do you agree that you were old enough – capable enough – to make your own decisions pertaining to your life?"

"I-I guess."

"So, then, it's not exactly reasonable to state that my client forced you to stay in a relationship with him, is that correct? Or, as you put it, control you into staying in a relationship with him?"

Beca blanches, her head turning so that she can look once at the judge, then at Riley, and finally, back at the lawyer. But even if no one else in the court room does, Chloe picks up on the slight slouch in Beca's shoulders. The way her eyes eventually cast downward in self-doubt and consideration while thinking about the man's question. "I-I mean—"

"—Answer me this: had Theo ever physically stopped you from trying to leave your shared home?"

Beca's jaw drops open slightly. "N-not physically, no, but with what he said and—"

"—With his words? Words that no one else can confirm him saying?"

Riley finally stands from her seat, speaking loudly over the line of questioning. "Your Honor, Mr. Klein is badgering the witness and the victim here. Ms. Mitchell has already stated that Mr. Wright was physically abusive, so much so that Ms. Mitchell was terrified to even think about leaving him until he hit his—"

"Ms. Callahan I really hope you're not testifying for the witness."

Judge Campbell bangs her gavel on the block. "Counsel, that is enough. Mr. Klein, either rephrase your questioning or sit back down. Ms. Callahan, please keep in mind that you are to ask the questions, not answer them."

With murmured apologies that Chloe can barely hear over the sound of her pounding heart, the two lawyers go back to their figurative corners, but Mr. Klein quite literally approaches Beca. He seems to get close enough to be in her space, but not close enough for the judge to have an issue with it. "Okay, Ms. Mitchell. Let's try again. You've testified under oath that you couldn't leave Mr. Wright. Would you please explain, then, how you finally did, and why you felt it was appropriate to take Mr. Wright's biological children – who has just as much a right to custody as you do – to the other side of the country without so much as a note?"

Beca's eyes drift closed, and she rolls her lips and tucks them into her teeth. She takes a deep breath, inflating her chest and blowing it ever so slowly out of her nose. Apparently, despite Riley already asking a similar version, they prepared for this question as well, because Beca's answer is the same rehearsed words that she had been saying while Riley was up in front of her. She tells them in vague, vague details about the steps she took to get to New York before saying, "I was afraid that he was going to hurt them. More than he already had. I couldn't risk it."

"More than he already had? Isn't it true that, prior to you leaving Los Angeles, your children had lived happy and healthy lives in the protection of your home, away from the public eye, and no more than two, maybe three weeks into living in New York, you and your children were harassed by the paparazzi?"

Beca narrows her eyes at the attorney, there's conviction, but her voice still shakes as she answers. "I did what I knew was best for them. That's all I've ever done."

"Then how do you explain staying in a so-called abusive environment for eight years?"

"Object—"

"Withdrawn. No further questions, Your Honor."


Four Years Ago

Chloe knows that she looks a mess. She knows that her eyes are puffy and that her mascara is undoubtedly ruined. She knows her cheeks are splotchy, and her hair is ragged from running her hands through it so many times. She's uneasy on her feet, tipsy at most. She had a few drinks but sobered quickly throughout the night when she realized that this date would end just like all of her other ones.

With her heart aching for the one person that she misses most in the world.

Chloe brings her finger to the doorbell, pressing the glowing button and listening to the comforting sound ringing through the house.

She has a key – she's always had a key – but something about walking into Stacie and Aubrey's house at eleven o'clock on a Friday night just doesn't seem right.

But Aubrey has been waiting for her. That much is made obvious to the redhead when she hears Aubrey shuffling down the hall in her pajamas seconds later, a knowing look on her face.

When she opens the door, Chloe collapses into her arms.

It's a routine they have. Chloe goes months without pursuing any sort of date or even just a night out. Then she convinces herself that she's ready – years after Beca left. Then she goes on the date, only to realize that, no, she isn't ready because the one person that had her heart – unknowingly, but had it nonetheless – up and left without any warning. She goes to her best friends, the only ones that truly know at least a semblance of what might be going on inside of her head, tries to figure out where she went wrong, and goes into another spell of not wanting to put her heart out on the line again.

And, despite telling her multiple times that she should talk to a professional, or just try to go on small, no-pressure dates, Stacie and Aubrey are there for each and every failing, drying her tears and reassuring her that everything is going to be okay. That she'll be able to move past Beca eventually. That she'll find her person. That Beca doesn't deserve her anyways.

Which is exactly what Aubrey tries to do this time around, guiding Chloe to the couch just like always – this time without the help of her wife who has her night shift at the hospital tonight. She sits them down, covering their laps with a blanket, and handing Chloe a tissue from the box Aubrey had already set up on the coffee table.

But Chloe cuts her off mid-reassurance.

"I don't even care if-if I can't be with her. I j-just want her b-back-back in my life. Just to-to talk to her once."

Aubrey wraps an arm around Chloe's shoulders, running her fingers lightly through her loose, ginger curls. "She doesn't deserve that chance, Chlo. I know you miss her, but sweetie, what she did was not okay."

Chloe sniffles, laying her head against Aubrey's chest. She's heard the same sentiment over and over again.

It never takes any of her pain away.

"I miss her so much, Bree."

"I know you do," Aubrey says with a sigh. It only took about four months of Beca falling off the grid for Chloe to tell her and Stacie about her true feelings for the brunette. Not that Aubrey and Stacie didn't have their suspicions (very, very strong suspicions), but the confirmation just made Aubrey despise Beca even more. For leaving all of their friends – for abandoning their family. But mostly for breaking her best friend's heart.

Chloe lets out a shuddering breath, her throat raw from the tears. "I just want to know what I did wrong."

"Chloe Beale, you listen to me right now." Aubrey's voice grows stern. In situations like this when Stacie is around, they complement each other nicely. Stacie is often the hand to hold, the hugger. The one telling her that everything is going to be alright. Aubrey wants to make sure that Chloe realizes that whatever happened with Beca Mitchell is not – in any way shape or form – her fault. "You did not do anything wrong. Beca – she clearly had her reasons for leaving, but every single one of them stem from selfishness."

Chloe falls silent, her tears starting to dry on her cheeks and making her skin prickly. After sitting in the quiet of the living room for a few moments, she whispers, "I don't think I'm going to be able to move on, Bree. From the hurt. From th-the—"

"You can say it."

Chloe shakes her head.

"Say it, Chlo. From the betrayal. From the abandonment. From the cutting off contact without any warning… they all apply."

Chloe gulps down her emotions, trying to wrangle her thoughts into words. "It's just… I'm so-so sad, about it all, but also just so… so angry but then I r-remember that sh-she's r-really gone and then I just…" Chloe chokes out a sob, tears once again spilling from her piercing blue eyes.

Aubrey pulls her back into her side, tending to her best friend with every ounce of care and sympathy and understanding that she has. "You're going to be okay, Chlo. You're going to be able to move past this, and one day, she'll just be a memory."


"Mrs. Broder, how long have you known Ms. Mitchell?"

Karla looks much calmer than Beca had while she was on the stand. Chloe is sure that if she knew the woman a little better – just slightly more than a simple meeting outside of the bathroom prior to the start of the hearing – she might be able to pick up on some nerves or something. But no. Karla's face is stoic, her hands crossed primly on her lap, looking straight ahead at Riley as she asks the question.

"A little more than four years. Ms. Mitchell hired me when her daughter, Callie, was old enough to start preschool. I've been her homeschool teacher ever since. I had just started working with Henry a couple of months before they moved to New York."

Riley nods, slowly walking back and forth across the front of the room but speaking loudly enough so that everyone can hear. "Could you describe what that hiring process was like? How you came to work for the Mitchell-Wright family?"

"Sure. I've worked with other families in the music and film industry before. One of my past families gave me Ms. Mitchell's contact information, saying that she was looking for a tutor with the potential for other help in the house. I sent her my resume, cover letter, and a few other references. About a week later I got a call from Ms. Mitchell herself which had surprised me. I met with Ms. Mitchell once, then I met the kids. About a week following those meetings, I went over for dinner and met Mr. Wright for the first time. I was offered the job that night."

Riley flips through a couple pieces of paper. "Why did it surprise you that Ms. Mitchell was the one that called you and offered you an interview?"

"In all of the other families that I've worked for, I've always dealt with secretaries or personal assistants leading up to the final interview. This was the first time I've dealt with a parent from start to finish."

"Would you say that Ms. Mitchell remained involved throughout your tenure?"

Karla nods. "Oh, absolutely. With the exception for when she was working – whether it be in the studio, at home, or on tour – she was always around her kids. Spending time with them. Talking with them. Doing everything she could to make them happy."

"Would you say that Mr. Wright's presence around the house was similar?"

"No. Not at all. Mr. Wright would leave for the office before I got to the house in the morning and would come back around dinner when the food was already on the table; sometimes later."

"From the interactions that you've observed from working with the Mitchell-Wright family for almost five years, how did Ms. Mitchell act around Mr. Wright?"

Karla sighs, but as she prepares to answer, movement from Beca catches Chloe's eye. She rests her elbows on the table in front of her, cradling her head, and slowly massages her temples with two fingers from each hand.

After Beca testified, she disappeared into the bathroom after being granted a quick recess. Aubrey followed her, Chloe agreeing with the decision because even if she didn't want it to be true, she knew full well that she was not in the right emotional state to be supportive for Beca. When they returned, Beca sat back down at the table looking utterly exhausted, and Aubrey whispered that she had thrown up again, and that it had taken a little while to get her breathing back to some semblance of normal.

When Karla starts talking, Beca doesn't even move. "I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary at first. I'm not sure if that's because Ms. Mitchell was pregnant at the time or for some other reason, but they were a normal, married couple, navigating parenthood and Ms. Mitchell's career. But as I stuck around, I started noticing little things. How Ms. Mitchell never liked being around Mr. Wright by herself – she would always leave the room or make up some excuse to keep busy. Towards the end, it became abundantly clear that Ms. Mitchell did not want Mr. Wright anywhere near the children unless she was around or I was. I very rarely saw them have a normal conversation. They moved wordlessly around each other – not in a good way, more like in a, delicately planned outway."

"Could you explain that a little bit more?"

Karla sighs, teetering her head back and forth. "It was like Ms. Mitchell knew what she had to do, and if Mr. Wright had to remind her, or if she took a wrong step, there would be an argument."

"Did you ever witness any of these arguments?"

"Not with my eyes. They would happen behind closed doors. Sometimes I could hear muffled yelling, though."

"From both Ms. Mitchell and Mr. Wright?"

"No. Always Mr. Wright. I would try and keep the kids distracted, but it was there."

Riley listens carefully, but as Karla continues, Beca seems to press her fingers harder against her temples, her fingertips turning bright white from the pressure. "Did you ever see any sign of injury on Ms. Mitchell?"

"Yes, a few times. Bruises here and there, mostly on her wrist that she would try and cover with a shirt. A couple of times while we were on tour, I saw her trying to cover up markings with makeup. I caught her coming out of rooms crying a few times, but she would say everything was fine. The first time I saw any injuries on purpose was when I specifically asked her about it."

"And when was that?"

"It was about a month before she told me she wanted help getting away from her husband. I confronted her because at that point, I knew something was going on. She was blatantly afraid of her husband; she could barely walk… I asked her if Mr. Wright had ever hurt her, and she said yes."

"Could you describe the injuries that you saw?"

Karla visibly shudders as though wanting anything else than to relive those memories. "She only showed me them for a moment. The worst were on her abdomen. Her stomach was so blue with bruises and there were cuts that were raw from being cleaned. I'm not sure if she was kicked or just hit, but whatever it was, it was clearly violent and looked incredibly painful."

"Did you take any pictures of the injuries on this day, Mrs. Broder?"

Karla shakes her head. "Not that day, no. But about four weeks later, after Mr. Wright hit Callie, I took pictures of the remnants of the bruises from that night, as well as the new bruises that had popped up over that time frame."

Riley goes back to her desk, glances worriedly at Beca for a quick moment, before picking up a few photos. "Your Honor, I'd like to present Exhibit A through D, four photos that Mrs. Broder took on August 26th."

Chloe hasn't seen the photos, but by the way the judge's eyebrows raise ever so slightly as she fans through the glossy sheets, Chloe's stomach churns at the thought of what could be on there.

As the judge continues to look over the pictures, Riley turns back to Karla. "Could you tell me what Ms. Mitchell said to you prior to taking these pictures?"

Karla lets out a heavy sigh. "She said that Mr. Wright had gotten frustrated with Callie and hit her. She said that he had been getting worse and that that was the last straw."

"Could you explain what you mean?"

"She said that he got angry at every little thing and that he would get physically aggressive with her. He would hit her when they were alone. In the presence of others, he would make all the decisions and would easily persuade her to do what he wanted with his words."

"What happened after Ms. Mitchell told you all of this?"

"She asked for help to leave him."

"What did you tell her?"

"I said of course. I asked her who we could get in contact with; if she knew anyone that Mr. Wright might not have. At first, she didn't really have an answer, but then I brought up her college friends. She had mentioned them only a few times – otherwise she typically seemed uncomfortable when talking about them."

"And then?"

"Well, Ms. Mitchell hadn't talked to these friends in years, so she wasn't sure where they ended up. We did a few Google searches on my cell phone, so the information wasn't left on her laptop or computer. We found that one of her college friends lived in New York, she was an attorney, and she was one of the women that Ms. Mitchell thought she would be most comfortable with in contacting."

"Did you or Ms. Mitchell contact this woman?"

Karla leans back in her chair. "Ms. Mitchell did. She called Aubrey Posen, her friend, and discussed preliminary plans. That night, I called Mrs. Posen on my own, and we started getting things in order."

Chloe listens as Karla finishes her testimony, telling the judge and Mr. Klein how many times she had communicated with Aubrey over the span of the three weeks before Beca flew to New York. She listens as Karla tells them how Beca was terrified to stay in the house and how she told Karla how hard it was to act like everything was normal (and what a sick version of normal) leading up to Theo traveling to Europe. Tears once again swell in Chloe's eyes, but as soon as Riley sits back down and Mr. Klein stands up, anger burns in the pit of her stomach.

He doesn't approach the stand as aggressively as he had with Beca, but he still goes up to stand in front of her, nonetheless. "Mrs. Broder, did you ever see Mr. Wright put his hands on Ms. Mitchell?"

Karla, on the other hand, doesn't look the slightest bit intimidated. "I never saw him hit or kick or choke Ms. Mitchell, no, but I did see him hold onto her wrist for a little too long or grip her upper arm when telling her something that he wanted her to do."

Mr. Klein falters ever so slightly, but he picks right up where he left off. "But you never saw her getting beat by her husband, as she has claimed?"

"I believe every single word Ms. Mitchell has said today, and that she has told me in the past. I have seen the way Mr. Wright has acted around –"

"But have you ever seen him physically abuse her?"

Karla narrows her eyes. "No. I haven't."

"Have you ever seen him physically abuse the kids? Threaten them?"

Karla shakes her head. "I haven't, but again, I have no reason to believe that Ms. Mitchell is lying - and I've seen how disinterested Mr. Wright could be with his children."

Mr. Klein ignores her answer. "You testified that Ms. Mitchell told you not once, but twice that her husband was violent, is that correct?"

"It is."

"And you saw injuries both of these times?"

"I did."

"At any point did you consider contacting the local authorities? Calling DCFS to report potential abuse?"

Karla leans back almost threateningly in her chair, and it makes Chloe feel all the more reassured. "Ms. Mitchell begged me not to contact the police officers because she knew that it would be her word against his. She did not have a way out of the house, she did not want to put her children in more danger than they already were in by living with Mr. Wright. When she realized that she needed to get out of the house, she did. She threw everything she had in her into making those preparations. She reached out to people she hadn't talked to in years - people that she had been terrified of making contact with - to protect her children. I was not going to put her or those kids in harm's way by going against what she asked me to do. I worked overtime that entire three weeks that we were waiting for your client to leave the house. I stayed over more times during that period than I probably have in my entire time working for the Mitchell-Wright family. And I watched Ms. Mitchell time and time again, put her kids first - regardless of what the consequences for her might be."


Beca tried tuning it out. The entire hearing. She wished she could've. She would've done anything to not have had to sit there and recount the scariest years of her life. To not have had to sit there and be questioned about her capabilities as a mother.

She already does it to herself enough.

She would've done anything not to have to listen to Karla talk about her with such pity. But, then again, she appreciated the fact that Karla refused to let Theo's lawyer fluster her.

Unlike Beca, who could barely look him in the eye.

The judge offered them a recess after Karla's testimony, but Beca had denied it, despite the pressure from Riley, Aubrey, and Chloe.

At that point, all Beca wanted to do was get it over with.

'It' being the second half of the hearing. Theo's testimony.

Aubrey told her that Mr. Klein wasn't going to call any other witnesses because he wouldn't want to shed any doubt on Theo's credibility. Of course, she was right, and it was just Theo that needed to sit in the hot seat.

And again, Beca tried tuning it out, just like the rest of the hearing.

She tried tuning out Theo's act of innocence. She tried to tune out how he said time and time again how much he loved Beca and how he felt betrayed by the 'accusations'. How he loved Callie and Henry. How he would never hurt his wife or his kids, and that he was scared out of his mind when she wouldn't answer his calls while he was in Europe, and even more so when he returned to an empty house.

She tried tuning out his story about how Callie was so excited to see him when he finally found them at Aubrey and Stacie's house, and how Beca refused to let him see Henry. How he had 'begged' to see him, how she 'coerced' Callie into leaving him.

Beca tried tuning it all out. But she heard it loud and clear. She could see his story stacking up against hers. What's worse is that Riley hadn't wanted to talk about him coming to Aubrey and Stacie's that night. She said that it wasn't relevant, that at that point, they already had a restraining order and anything after that was irrelevant to the case.

But it still dug into her, having to hear him say how horrible she was, when it couldn't be further from the truth.

In her brief glance up at Judge Campbell, she could see the doubt forming in her eyes.

Riley did what she could. She asked him why all of their bank accounts were limited to his access. She asked him how he thought Beca got the bruises if it wasn't from her. She asked him, point blank, if he had ever hit Beca or Callie (of course, he said no). She tried time and time again to get him to verify Beca's version of events rather than his own, but his years of lying and manipulation came to bat, and he didn't even look like he was trying as the lies rolled easily off his tongue.

The entire time, Beca could barely breathe. She focused on taking air in through her nose and blowing it lightly through pursed lips. Her leg never stopped bouncing up and down. Her hands never stopped shaking, no matter how she held them. She tried desperately to keep her eyes from clouding over, to keep her head from becoming unbearably foggy.

She tried to listen while simultaneously wanting nothing more than to not hear the words coming from the people in front of her.

But finally, after what feels like hours (she really doesn't know what time it is or how long they've been in the courtroom), Mr. Klein sits back down. Theo walks back over to his own seat, without so much as glancing in her direction, and does the same. The judge remains silent and looks over her notes, leaning back in her chair with a sigh.

Beca stops breathing, her eyes, for the first time, tracking the older woman's every moves. She can hear Aubrey and Chloe shifting in the row behind her, and Riley is jotting down some remaining thoughts on her notepad.

Finally, after another eternity of silence, Judge Campbell meets Beca's eyes. It's only for a moment, and her expression is otherwise stoic, which just makes Beca's heart pound even harder in her chest.

Judge Campbell lets out a heavy sigh. "I've been a Family Court judge for almost twenty years, and at the conclusion of the majority of these hearings, I am amazed by the bravery that I see in this courtroom."

She shuffles some papers around in front of her, folding her hands on top of the desk. The blood is rushing in Beca's ears and she feels lightheaded from her irregular breathing, but she isn't going to shut down. Not right now, despite the brick that's settled in her stomach and the incessant pounding in her head. "I am going to grant Ms. Mitchell the five year protective order—"

"—Your Honor—"

Judge Campbell cuts Mr. Klein off with a sharp swipe of her finger, but Beca is far too busy replaying the words over and over in her mind.

Five years.

The words are music to her ears, her jaw drops open in disbelief, and her whole world goes silent.

Silent with relief.

Silent with shock.

Silent with some sort of inkling of… joy? If she can even call it that? She doesn't recognize it – the brief lightness in her chest. The bit of levity.

It's different. Different but short-lived, because the shout that comes from the other side of the court room jolts Beca back to reality.

To her reality.

"I want to see my kids!"

Beca jumps in her chair, feeling Riley's hand lightly on her shoulder as she watches Theo stand.

She turns her attention back to the judge, who is glaring in Theo's direction.

"Mr. Wright, if you sit back down, I can finish my ruling."

Beca's mouth runs dry. Finish?

Judge Campbell looks out over the court room. "I am granting Ms. Mitchell the five year protection order. In terms of custody of Callie and Henry Wright…due to the fact that there is very limited evidence of any abuse towards the children, I am sending the issue of custody to mediation. From there, we will determine physical and legal custody of the minors."

Beca digs her teeth into the inside of her cheek, tears burning at the back of her eyes. Aubrey had told her that that was probably what was going to happen, but hearing it in person, after the exhaustive morning, it sounds foreign.

Riley stands from her chair. "Your Honor, may we request that Callie and Henry remain in their mother's full physical and legal custody without visitation pending mediation and a potential 730 evaluation?"

Mr. Klein, too, rises. "Your Honor, that is absolutely ridiculous. My client's children were taken from him without due process and, as you just ruled, there has not been sufficient evidence to conclude that he is an unfit parent."

Judge Campbell quirks an eyebrow. "Mr. Klein, as I'm sure you're aware, the state of California does not tend to grant custody to defendants following an issuance of a protection order. Mr. Wright is going to have to wait until a custody trial to establish his parenting capabilities. Your request is granted, Ms. Callahan."

Beca breathes out a small puff of air, that brief moment of light shining through for a split second longer.

"And may I request one last amendment, Your Honor?" At Judge Campbell's nod, Riley continues. "As you heard, both Callie and Henry were homeschooled under the direction of Karla Broder. Mrs. Broder is no longer employed by the Mitchell-Wright family. In New York, Ms. Mitchell has enrolled Callie in public school, where she has been attending for the last month. Ms. Mitchell also has a support system of close college friends that she has since reunited with. We would like to ask that Ms. Mitchell, Callie, and Henry, be permitted to stay in New York in the time leading up to both mediation and a custody trial."

"Your Honor, this is completely unreasonable. It is like you're rewarding the petitioner for taking my client's children away from him!"

"Mr. Klein, I appreciate your perspective, but if you speak one more time out of turn, I will hold you in contempt." Judge Campbell locks eyes with Riley, Beca's hands shaking even more. "Does Ms. Mitchell have adequate financial means to provide for her children in New York City pending the custody proceedings?"

"Mrs. Aubrey Posen and her wife Dr. Stacie Conrad, both friends of Ms. Mitchell, have agreed to support Ms. Mitchell financially until she is able to divorce Mr. Wright and receive her fair share of financial assets."

"Is Mrs. Posen or Dr. Conrad in the courtroom today?"

From behind her, Beca can hear Aubrey stand. "I am Aubrey Posen, Your Honor."

"You and your wife are capable of supporting Ms. Mitchell and her kids in the weeks leading up to mediation and a potential custody trial, Mrs. Posen?"

Beca digs her nails into the palm of her hand. While she doesn't want to think it, the thought of well, this is it; they all could just abandon her here, floods her mind.

But, by some miracle, that doesn't happen.

"We are, Your Honor. We had rented a small, two bedroom apartment prior to Ms. Mitchell's arrival to New York, and that is where she had been staying with Callie and Henry before Mr. Wright followed her out here. While both Ms. Mitchell and the kids have been staying with us at our house since then, that has only been out of fear for Mr. Wright's return. We are happy, and able, to support Ms. Mitchell and her kids in whatever way is needed. For however long that may be."

Beca lets out yet another sigh of relief, a few tears finally escaping and rolling down her cheek.

"Thank you, Mrs. Posen." Judge Campbell writes a few more things down on the forms in front of her, and Beca can only imagine what they say. "Ms. Callahan, Ms. Mitchell, I am going to grant your request to return to New York, but only under the condition that you understand that, following the conclusion of mediation and a potential child custody trial, you may have to make arrangements to move back to Los Angeles to allow for partial custody and/or visitation. You may also not take the children out of the country during this time period. Do you accept these conditions?"

When Riley nudges her softly, Beca clears the dryness in her throat, managing a shaky nod. "Yes, Your Honor. Thank you."

Judge Campbell gives her one last nod, and finally, with the flourish of a pen, signs the paper in front of her. "Court is adjourned."


As much as Beca had wanted to tune out Theo's testimony and couldn't, she easily falls into a daze following Judge Campbell ending the hearing.

Riley whisks her away down some back hallway after the conclusion, leaving an angry Theo having a heated discussion with his lawyer in the courtroom that makes Beca incredibly nervous to be around. They spend some time alone in a conference room while Riley fills out the remaining portions of the post-hearing forms, and then brings Beca to file them with the court clerk.

The entire time, Beca feels like she's sleepwalking. Riley is moving in a flurry of motion, and all Beca can focus on is the fact that yes, she got the restraining order, but this is far from over. When mediation inevitably fails, there will be a custody trial… plus Theo is clearly angry and who knows what's going to come of that state.

But Riley keeps pushing her along. She takes control of the situation, she does what needs to be done, and soon enough, Beca is holding a freshly printed restraining order in her hand with a date for custody mediation set for three days from today.

When they finally walk back out into the lobby of the courtroom after being assured by the security guard that Theo has left the premises, Beca is instantly greeted with Chloe and Aubrey's grinning faces.

A light laugh escapes Beca's mouth as she gets closer to them, noting the tears in Chloe's eyes as soon as she is within a few feet. She has her hands clasped in front of her lips, slowly shaking her head. "You were amazing, Bec. So strong. So brave."

Heat floods Beca's cheeks as Riley answers. "She was. That wasn't an easy thing to do, and the judge clearly saw her side of things. It couldn't have gone better."

Beca shifts her weight from foot to foot, awkwardly standing around when this is quite obviously a time where there would typically be hugs involved. But, surprisingly, neither Aubrey nor Chloe seem to be going in for one.

"Is the order all signed?" Aubrey addresses Riley, the two attorneys putting their heads together.

"Yes, and the bailiff served him with it before he left. The mediation will be separate, so Beca most likely won't have to see him again until the custody hearing."

Both Chloe and Aubrey nod. "Good."

Beca's gaze flicks around the lobby, her eyebrows knitting together as she searches for one person in particular. She's still slightly dazed and a little out of it. Having her anxiety racing at such high levels, followed by the slight, unfamiliar feeling of relief, has left her looking through a fog. "Did Karla leave?"

"Nope! I'm right here!" Beca jumps slightly at the voice that comes up from behind her, a soft smile on the older woman's face. "You didn't think I would leave without saying goodbye, did you?"

Beca chuckles softly. She watches as Karla reaches out her hands in an attempt to hug her, and, for some reason, the thought of giving her a hug doesn't cause a swell of anxiety. She relaxes into her arms, taking a deep breath of her familiar perfume.

Whether it's because she has spent the last four years with her or if it's because Beca's subconscious knows that whenever Karla is around, there's less of a chance of Theo acting, well, like, Theo, she isn't sure. But, whatever it is, she feels safe in Karla's embrace.

"I'm so proud of you."

Beca closes her eyes against Karla's shoulder, feeling some of the building stress ebb.

A few feet away, Chloe watches the interaction and once again feels a tug at her heart. She's so glad that Beca finds comfort in this woman, but there are very few things Chloe would love more than to be able to be that person – to have that relationship again – for Beca.

When they eventually pull apart, Beca runs her hands under her eyes with a sigh. "I'm going to go run to the bathroom before we head out, if that's okay."

Everyone nods and Aubrey takes a step forward. "Me too."

"I forgot to get the contact information for the mediator, so I'm going to run and do that."

Chloe gives all of the women a smile before turning to Karla. "I guess it's just you and me, then."

Karla laughs. "Guess so."

Beca, Aubrey, and Riley go off to their respective tasks. Chloe, unknowingly, watches Beca with a sad smile as they walk off as she's left alone with the person who clearly has become Beca's best friend in her Los Angeles life.

They stand in a content, yet slightly awkward silence, for a few moments, until Beca and Aubrey are in the bathroom. When the door closes behind them, Karla turns to face her. "She talked about you, you know."

Chloe's jaw drops open slightly, her head quirked to the side. "Hm?"

"Beca." Karla gives her a reassuring smile, the wrinkled lines on her face soft and holding years of kindness. "She didn't talk much about college or her friends. But she would very occasionally talk about the one friend that she left behind. It was you, wasn't it?"

Chloe gulps, the ability to speak alluding her.

"She mentioned your name only once or twice. I wasn't sure if it was you when I came into the bathroom this morning. Not until she confirmed. But I see the way you look at her." Karla glances off into the direction of the bathroom, as though keeping an eye on Beca's whereabouts. "I can't imagine how tough it must be for you to see her going through this."

Chloe lets out a harsh laugh, wiping away the tears that are collecting in her eyes. "Yeah. It seems silly to complain about how it might be tough for me, when she's going through absolute hell."

Karla sits down on a bench, patting the seat beside her. "I don't think it's silly. In fact, I think you have to work through the pieces that are difficult for you, if you want to truly help her."

Chloe quirks her eyebrow as though not believing her. "Wouldn't that take away from the support Beca needs?"

"What Beca needs and what you think she needs, might be slightly different." Karla speaks the words with complete kindness and wisdom, but they still feel like a harsh sting across Chloe's face. "She needs your support, even if she won't ask for it. But she also needs to work through some things on her own...without feeling the guilt coming from people around her."

Chloe's throat tightens. "I'm not-"

Karla lays a hand on top of hers. "Maybe not on purpose, but sometimes, even when we think we're being as supportive as we possibly can, we might be adding on some pressure that really is not needed. So some space...waiting for her to come to you, even if it may be more difficult for you... Don't stop fighting for her, don't stop being there - but that little bit of breathing room? It may be for the best."

Tears continue to burn at the back of Chloe's eyes. She barely manages a nod, let alone a response. But Karla gives her time, and eventually, Chloe closes her eyes. She breathes out a shaky breath, saying the one thing that pops into her mind - one thing that might be enough of a confirmation for the older woman. "She's my best friend."

When Chloe eventually opens her eyes, Karla is watching her carefully. "Is?"

"What?" Chloe pulls back, her voice breaking in shock. "Of course, she is. She never stopped being my best friend – even if I stopped being hers."

Karla doesn't hesitate. "Good. Don't ever let go of that. The passion. The love. She's going to need it now more than ever."


Thank you so much for reading! I look forward to hearing your thoughts/comments/questions/critiques if you would like to share!

Only a few more chapters left of Part I...See you next Wednesday!