A/N: Sorry I know...it's been a while. I guess I wasn't as immune to writer's block, as I thought I was. But yeah I finally got around that. I'm happy to inform everyone that I've been working on the future chapters trying to get everything in order, and I'm getting closer everyday. I hope to be posting regularly from now on. So stick around bear with me alright?

Also I felt like this chapter was a bit...choppy? I had to type some parts again because I accidentally closed the ff tab, just before I had saved the changes. yeah silly mistake, it was just my luck.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, not the characters, the celebrities, the tv shows, nor the movie but this plot's all mine.


The Battle rounds fight between Kori and you had been aired the previous week, and with it came multiple follows, friend requests, you swore you'd even seen a fan page...

So, okay you were definitely feeling the love with the mostly positive comments people had to say about you and your ability. You were totally dealing with it normally, almost like it was nothing. Psshh… You are a professional, you had better, more pressing matters than searching yourself up or contemplating your new-found fame...

Okay, that wasn't entirely true. You had admittedly, only out of pure curiosity though, given in and searched yourself up once and spent some time after googling yourself. Not a lot or too much, just some to see what it would reveal.

But, you came to your senses pretty quickly, as you didn't want the kind of things you saw to influence how you performed; too much good might make you too cocky. As a starting artist, letting things get to one's head too early in the game could be anyone's downfall. Sure, confidence was good, but there was the difference in having the confidence to build yourself up to deliver a performance and being overconfident, no, downright arrogant and tearing other people down – ahem, ahem Bumper Allan and his goons cough cough, thinking they were God's gift to all of mankind, or at least The Voice viewers. Also, for the bad. You knew you couldn't please everyone and you've accepted that as it was: a fact. You weren't for everyone's taste. Alas, you were terrified that you'd see a negative one and it would stick and bring down your confidence when you needed it the most.

And almost like you had summoned it straight out of your mind, the television tunes into one of the promos for the up-coming knock out rounds.

Over the last couple of weeks our artists have gone through several tests to gain the much-coveted spots in the top 4 of each team, and they are so close. We are at the last leg before the live rounds. You've followed them from blind auditions to battle rounds, to top 5

You recognize some of the footage; showing the judges, the steals, the lost and won battles, remaining artists at their high points in the program.

We await the choices of our coaches. Who will proceed to the much awaited top 4 final teams and who will get knocked out? Each week, we are one step closer in knowing which team will become this year's Voice. Will it be Team Adam, Team Blake, Team Beca or Team Usher?

Already? It felt as though just yesterday you had auditioned. It felt almost like a lifetime ago you had this irrational fear that you couldn't make it on your own, as you were always so used to being part of a group: you were scared your voice wasn't strong enough to stand alone.

Speaking of a group, you were lucky you had become good friends with several of the other girls. Instead of fearing them as competition, the Voice experience you've shared has made you fast friends. You'd been joined in the hip with Stacie, Cynthia and Fat Amy.

And Beca...well your friendship was solid, stronger than ever and… you haven't really decided how you feel about that.

You had gotten everything you wanted basically; you were with her a lot, she shared things almost too much with you and ...and she was comfortable around you. That was just it, she was getting "comfortable" around you as just being her friend.

She had come to depend on you, trusting you and sometimes, you feel selfish keeping all her affections to yourself, but she says that she doesn't really mind sharing things with you, ever so glad that you're there every single time to listen, to catch her, to listen to her thanking you, dolling out the 'I love yous' casually.

And that part just sucked. You couldn't help the contracting of your heart each time.

What use was her saying it to you- and not meaning it entirely, not meaning it the way you want, thought she meant it. So yeah, basically you're stuck in limbo, suspended between the beginning girl meets girl and happily ever after. And lately, it's been feeling more and more like you'll be staying there for quite a while.

You'd always known that this wouldn't be enough, this pretense of friendship, but you couldn't imagine any other way of keeping her close to you.

The hard part about becoming friends with the object of your affection, is that it's downright complicated... Before, it was just the rejection lying there that you needed to survive with after you reveal your feelings, but now there's the friendship, a friendship unlike any other. You've forged a bond stronger and closer. A meeting of completely different souls, yet they fit perfectly. You don't want to lose that because whether you liked or not, she was your best friend now too, the one who gets you in a way no one else does and you'd die before anyone gets in the way of that, especially yourself, never mind that your heart is constantly trampled on, squishing out the longing...

And yet you took it, whatever you could get from her.

Sometimes, you wonder how on earth or why the hell she hadn't clued in to your feelings. You can't imagine being anything but obvious- subtle wasn't really a word in your personal dictionary. But, what scares you is that she does know and she doesn't really care to do anything about it, or that she's just content where you guys are now. So there you are, both wishing and praying for her to not know and to know at the same time. You're wondering how you don't spontaneously combust at any moment, because getting to know Beca these past few weeks has shown you one thing: she isn't perfect, not all, not even close. She's a normal girl with all the usual hang-ups and issues and a whole amount of luggage.

But, this is what convinces you even more that now you really are in love with her, not because of who she was on TV, but because you know all of it. You know her in the truest sense.

And then, the nerves settle - the familiar drop, some parts exhilaration, most parts unexplainable fear - in your stomach, knowing that something big is coming up. Not just the knock out rounds, which is more nerve-wrecking compared to the battle rounds. You've long accepted the fact that this feeling - the fear constant, worn out feeling - would be ever present during the entire competition. But there was also something else, a tingling, somewhere in your gut that things would be changing radically and soon.


With knock out rounds you prepared by bettering yourself.

It was all about making yourself the best you could be, because this time you don't know who you'd be up against; not until the actual show.

Beca will make the decision on the day itself, choose who you'd be pitted against. You're scared to death, not sure if your preparation would be enough if you didn't know.

You think of all the girls in Beca's team (you hoped to God you wouldn't be facing off with your girls). There was Cynthia Rose, Stacie, Loraine, Amber, Trish, Zita and Baloney Barb (long story, but it was an inside joke between you and the girls). Each one of them talented, each wanting-having a reason to stay, each wanting to win.

You hoped it'd be enough.


Beca was working you hard, sometimes into the night. She really liked being in charge, pushing you to your limit… in terms of musical abilities, everything other than that, was for some wishful thinking. Whenever it came to the competition she made sure to separate the friendship from the professional.

Right now, she was demanding perfection, asking you to nail wrecking ball. The song had been your choice and she had given you the green light. She worked with you day after day to produce the acoustic, broken down version, just how you'd discussed and envisioned it. She expected nothing but the best.

Beca was awesome like that, in truth you liked her like this...Surprise, surprise of course you did. You got to love seeing her take charge, seeing her in her element. It was so hot, her fingers deftly working the dials, skirting across the keyboard, then plucking at your guitar as well as your heartstrings.

"Chloe! Hey Snap out of it. We need you pitch perfect with this song..." you nod embarrassed at once again becoming distracted, going into Beca Mitchell dreamland.


But as the days to knockout rounds dwindled, it seems like everyone was on an edge: the recording crew, the staff, most especially the contestants. You could usually count on Beca to be the strong, supportive voice of reason, to help you through it. But, not so today. Beca had come into the recording practice session late, grumpy and irritable.

Beca in the worst of moods was like this black cloud of a tornado. Once it gathered speed it would get worse, promising to wreak havoc on whatever crossed its path.

The trick was to get her out of her deep brooding state as fast as you could using any means possible. Your usual go-to tactic was making her laugh, it usually didn't take much - she always seemed to be amused at you for some reason. But, not even your best material could get her too even crack a smile. And you had tried, but your usual tactics had failed. She was really distracted. Whatever it was, it was really bothering her.

"Chloe, hey am I talking to myself?" Beca asks sharply, snapping her fingers in front of your face, effectively calling back your attention.

"Sorry, what?" you say, shrinking at her glare. She lets out a breath before she closes her eyes for a few seconds.

"I said, one more time. Let's go back to the bridge, then the chorus." she says deliberately, a hint of a growl to her voice.

"Yes sir! What are your orders sir? How do I attack this part of the song sir!?" you ask, just to be sure of what she wanted. You had been constantly reworking the arrangement, trying different approaches to the chorus.

"The bridge part is already set, it's soft. Don't rush it, Don't you ever say I just walked away, I will always want words there almost sound like she's breaking, ready to give up, but she's still fighting hard for their relationship to work, because she can't stop caring about him even if she tried..." she's saying before breaking of and getting lost in her thoughts for a second. You're wondering at how beautiful, how real and personal that interpretation sounded.

"So uh..."

"What was I getting at?" she says after shaking herself out of it.

"Soft bridge. And then you weren't finished..."

"Yeah, the soft build-up is in preparation for the chorus, you want to hit it hard-"

"Like a wrecking ball?" you quip.

"Playback, music," she just says, after sending you a forced smile, before she counts silently to herself.

You take a breath and sing just how you'd discussed.

Don't you ever say I just walked away?

I will always want you

I can't live a lie, running for my life

I will always want you

"Good, then pause. Then belt it out, " she says, her eyes locking with yours, looking pleased for what seems like the first time since she'd stepped in. "Remember you have to come in hard and strong," she says so sternly, sounding so earnest that it causes you to snort.

"Sorry you want me to come... what? I mean..."

"Stop playing around Chloe!" Beca says, all no-nonsense.

"Okay, okay I'll come hard for you," you say seriously, and you bite the inside of your cheek to stop the laughter. You needn't have worried about that because the expression on her face;she's glowering, shooting daggers at you, causes the laughter to disappear almost immediately and your face turns serious. You're really going to get it out now.

*knock knock

You both still at the sudden noise, Beca turns away, not before sending you a look, she sighs before she finally gets up to open the door and comes face to face with Benji.

Whew. You let out a breath, grateful for the first time for such an interruption. Saved by the...knock.

"Miss Mitchell the production crew were wondering if they could shoot your practice session?"

"Yeah, yeah sure of course. Come in guys." And several men file in; the Camera men with their cameras, the sound people with their microphones, including the huge furry one that they had on the edge of a long stick, along with several others that you still weren't quite sure what they did, or what they were supposed to be.

"One two three, from 'can't live a lie, running for my life'." She just says, looking warily at the camera crew. Beca take a moment before she nods at you to continue.

"Can we um take a short break first?" you ask. Everyone, stops what they are doing. Beca sighs, running a hand across her face tiredly.

You pull her aside. You've had enough of this. If you can't get her to let it go, you can try to get her to tell you so you can both try to fix whatever's bothering her.

"Are you going to tell me what's up?" your ass, you add silently. "What's wrong? Hey tell me." Her expression immediately darkens, the anger that she had been keeping in finally letting itself show.

"What's wrong is that you aren't doing the song like we've been practicing. What's wrong is that we are down to mere days before knock out rounds and you aren't delivering... " her voice strained, trying in vain to control her volume.

"Geez, chill out..." you say trying to remain calm, but you're feeling queasy, the ever present nerves reacting. Okay you understand she was pissed, but did she have to go biting your head off...

"Chill out? How can you even say that? This isn't anything to be "chill" about. .I don't want to have to kick you out Chloe, so don't waste my time!"

"What!?" You're shocked, feeling a little hurt. You know she as right, but it didn't make hearing it from her any easier.

"In case it hasn't dawned on you yet, this knock out rounds will be the bloodiest. This is the point where I'll have to separate the wheat from the chaff. You need to show me that you're serious."

"I am serious!" you say, for lack of a better words, having apparently lost them, to defend yourself, mightily flustered by Beca's truthful yet vicious words assaulting you.

"So act like it, show me that you want this. 'cos so far, I haven't seen it. Where's the Chloe Beale who brought the magic to her audition, or was that just a fluke?"

"Okay, why are you being such a bitch?" you finally ask, having had enough of her attacking you. She stops, shocked. Thank God! You finally found a way to shut her up.

"I'm not..."

"You are. Care to tell me why? And, it's not me messing around. You've been this way since before we started practicing..."

"Chloe..." She says your name almost like a warning, not wanting to go into it any further.

"Stop doing the whole 'Beca thing'. It's me alright? You asked me to be there when you needed it, and I am. In some ways you asking me that, well it also gave me the reigns and the permission to butt my nose in when I sense that there's something up. That's me being there for you, so are you going to tell me what's up?"

"Dude..." she says, whining. Looking anywhere but at you.

"I am no dude. I'm a girl, your girl, your go to girl, so just tell me." You put a finger underneath her chin, forcing her to look you in the eye.

"It's nothing, it's just...It's stupid...I don't have to tell you every little thing about me…" she says, her eyes shifting between yours before she pushes your hand away.

"Okay then, let's just sing..." you say turning away from her, giving up.

"I'm scared alright, of losing you..." she spits out "Argh, this sounds so cheesy."

You're both relieved and confused with her answer.

"You won't lose me..." you say, comfortingly. You reach to pull her closer, but she moves away, glancing around quickly. You let your hands drop, frowning at her weird behavior.

"I have one of the most cutthroat girls and the last thing I want to be is biased. You don't know how conflicted I feel, how much I want to be selfish just so I can keep you in my team. I'm your coach and I'm playing it straight, I'll choose whoever does the best. "

"Beca-"

"Can you please just sing it the way we discussed it? Please?" Her tone pretty much says that the subject is closed.

"Okay."

I came in like a wrecking ball

I never hit so hard in love

All I wanted was to break your walls

All you ever did was wreck me

Yeah, you, you wreck me


So here you were, the day of the knock out rounds.

You're sweating, and nervous, jumping around backstage trying to shake off this jittery excess energy. Beca's speech, the one she had given before you had stepped out into the stage earlier with the rest of the Team, had done little to help. Sure, it was inspiring and all that, but you didn't take comfort from it as she had addressed it to the group as a whole, wishing for everyone to do their best, saying she was proud and felt that she had been lucky to have everyone of you on her team.

She hasn't addressed you, or spoken to you directly...and maybe you're taking things a little too personally and you know you really shouldn't. You can't expect special treatment from her. You had to remember she was the Coach and Judge Beca Mitchell first, she had to worry about the others, you can't expect her to coddle you.


Chloe Beale will be paired with Barbara Thomas.

Okay. You sigh in relief at first because you weren't paired off with any of your friends, but then you recall Barbara's surprisingly good audition, that she was someone you shouldn't underestimate. She had beaten Mary-Elsie out of team Beca. She was very determined, the one artist who came back three years running, and only now did her hard work pay off. You know that she wouldn't just go down without a fight. From the expression on her face, from her stance, you could tell that she was hell-bent on staying and getting much further in the competition. You would almost feel bad for her if she hadn't been such a bitch towards you and your friends, thinking herself above you newbies.

The stage is cleared leaving you alone with Barb, you chance a smile but Barbara doesn't return it.

Barb's song choice was Madonna's 'Like a Virgin' and you feel a flutter of hope, but you had to remind yourself that it wasn't the song choice - although it was a huge deal - but how you sang it was what would count.

Barb sang it beautifully. It was a great performance, full of energy, but it lacked something...but you shouldn't really be focusing on her, you had to worry about yourself first.

Beca's applauding hard at her performance, before she shifts her gaze to you, and nods almost imperceptibly, her eyes intense, before she turns back on the Beca Mitchell face. It's the only thing she can give to you right now.

Here's Chloe Beale with Wrecking Ball.

You close your eyes for a moment, to gather yourself. When you open them you are ready, you've let go of everything else nothing but determination coursing through you.

Here we go. You let the soft almost airy tone come out just like you practiced.

We clawed, we chained our hearts in vain

We jumped never asking why

We kissed, I fell under your spell.

A love no one could deny

You're crooning out the words, slow and steady your eyes half-closed, lost in the words.

Don't you ever say I just walked away?

I will always want you

I can't live a lie, running for my life

I will always want you

Here you take a huge breath stilling yourself for the strong chorus. You're eyes snap open, looking into Beca's dead on, before you move around working the stage.

I came in like a wrecking ball

I never hit so hard in love

All I wanted was to break your walls

All you ever did was wreck me

I came in like a wrecking ball

Yeah, I just closed my eyes and swung

Left me crashing in a blazing fall

All you ever did was wreck me

Yeah, you, you wreck me

You let yourself feel, fully immerse yourself in the story you were painting.

I never meant to start a war

I just wanted you to let me in

And instead of using force

I guess I should've let you win

This could happen to you. Beca could ruin you, she would always be scared, she would always be unsure. She could break your heart and hard.

Don't you ever say I just walked away?

I will always want you

Maybe you were setting yourself up for a loss but at this point you didn't care, because she was worth it. This part was softer more drawn out.

I came in like a wrecking ball

I never hit so hard in love

All I wanted was to break your walls

All you ever did was wreck me

I came in like a wrecking ball

Yeah, I just closed my eyes and swung

Left me crashing in a blazing fall

You didn't realize you'd started crying till you felt your voice shake, the last words wavering.

All you ever did was wreck me

Yeah, you, you wreck me

Yeah, you, you wreck me

You raise a hand to your cheek and feel the wetness, perplexed at how quickly that wave of emotion had come on.

Carson Daly steps in and Barb joins the two of you center stage.

"Those were powerful opening numbers from Chloe Beale and Barbara Thomas. That was excellent girls, the Knock out rounds is off to a very strong start. We'll be giving Coach Beca time to think, let's hear what the other coaches have to say. Adam Levine care to help her with her decision?"

"It's tough because we have here two very strong girls, Barb's been coming back year after year, and I really believe she keeps getting better and that this is the best she's sounded. I really would've preferred a different song but it's just me, to each his own I guess. You did what you could do with the song, you made it your own so kudos to you. I really have to commend Chloe though. Chloe, the one that got away, you are truly amazing. I've always believed in you and you keep surpassing our already high set expectations and I'd give anything for you to come back. To tell you the truth I keep waiting for Mitchell here to slip up so I'd steal you back, but I think our dear Coach Beca has wisen up some."

Adam's smiling widely at Beca who laughs before he looks to you, and he claps before giving you two thumbs up. You smile back mouthing your thank you.

"Coach Usher do you have anything to add?"

"It's really a competition choosing between the fresh and promising new talent or tried and tested, resilient vocals. Though personally I was feeling Chloe more, she always brings a different depth of emotion to the stage, and this time she really stepped it up... maybe some people may think It's too stagey...but it felt real."

You hadn't thought people would think that, you hadn't though to think about how the audience would perceive your performance. You chance a glance at Beca who's chewing on her lip, still not quite meeting your eye. You look at Barb who's normal proud demeanor has crumbled slightly, she's shaking and without a second thought, you reach out, offering your hand to her and though looking hesitant at first, she takes it.

Blake Shelton speaks next.

"What I don't understand is why she was crying," he says making the audience laugh, "nah I'm just kiddin... because you needn't have been worried because that was a darn good performance, that was beautiful who cares if her voice wavered towards the end, she bared her soul to us and her vocals were stellar as well. Barbara's was too, as a matter of fact. Barb's performance was exceptional, you should be proud of yourself, Barb."

Her bottom lips trembling slightly and you squeeze her hand, trying to offer her some sort of comfort. Your own nerves forgotten as you focus on Barb solely.

"Coach Beca? Do we have a decision?"

Her hand tightens around yours, and it's almost painful...

"Yeah I believe I have, as much as It hurts me to have to choose between my girls..."

You think you let a gasp of discomfort escape, and upon hearing you, she loosens her grip before offering you an apologetic look.

"-this is really difficult for me because I believe in their them both..."

"We'll need to hear your final choice here Beca."

"Yeah, yeah. I got it Carson...The winner of the Knockout Rounds is... Chloe Beale." The crowd cheers.

Your triumph is bittersweet, you had gone further up the path, closer to your dream only to have put an end to Barb's.

It's hard to watch as her face crumbles, looking absolutely crushed. You catch her as her knees give way, before Carson Daly steps in to support her weight.

"I'm so sorry" you whisper, as you go in to hug her you midway, pushing you away violently, nearly causing you to lose your balance and topple over before you manage to recover.

"No! I want this more than anyone, more than anything." Barb shouts Carson reaches out to steady you-his job difficult as he was also facilitating keeping Barb away from you. "I'm the one who deserves this not you. Beca only saved you because she feels sorry for you and your little crush, She's playing favorites..." Barbara says loudly, red faced and angry " You aren't even talented. What did you do, who did you sleep with, how much did you pay to stay so long in the competition?" You expect her to come at you but as soon as Barb gets that off her chest she collapse into tears again.

The shocked silence is deafening in the studio, the stage hands don't react as quickly-not quite knowing what to do, not having expected the sudden violent outburst. They don't stop filming however, and only when they are prompted by the floor director does Carson move things along.

"Chloe Beale is the first of Team Beca to make it to Live Shows," Carson Daly says speaking over her, coughing awkwardly, giving the cue and gesturing for you to continue walking.

You move off the stage shakily, hearing the ringing in your ears. You force a smile as you walk past the audience, you only stop when Beca's suddenly in front of you, her hand on your arm holding you fast, her eyes concerned. She can't really do anything now when the cameras are on her.

"We'll talk later." is all she says.

It had sounded so bad when Barb had said it, she had undermined all your hard work, your abilities. She had made you look like a fool in front of everyone, all the coaches.

"Let's hear it for Barbara Thomas everybody." Carson says smoothly, moving away from the moment. You hear the scattered, prompted applause.

You keep moving, and only when you get offstage do you allow yourself to run. You're feeling the familiar burning behind your eyes, which only pushes you to run faster.

"Chloe!"

"Hey Chloe, are you okay?"

You're pushing past your friend's who're calling after you.

"CHLOE!"

The last one was Beca, but right now you really don't care. You don't slow down. You just had to be alone.


A/N: So I wanna hear from you guys, do you have any favorites for this season of The Voice? Lemme know. Also I haven't gotten around to using some of the songs that some of you have suggested but I'm waiting for the right time, so don't hesitate to make some more suggestions, you can even throw in who you want singing the song.

Also I forgot to thank Chloe-Sullivan15 for suggesting Hero by Enrique Iglesias. I know you didn't want it to be sung literally to Beca, but it fit perfectly into the scene. And who can resist the idea of Bechloe cuteness warbling out the song to each other. Yeah, I couldn't either.

Wrecking Ball-Miley Cyrus