A/N: Hey remember two months ago when I said I'd have a new chapter up in a few days? That was nice of me to lie like that. That was the plan but then as soon as I was feeling ready for it, my brain and life said Nah. But enough of that. I'm here now with a brand spanking new update and a long one) at that to make up for my lies. Lots of dialogue and wheels rolling.
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Ch 21
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Beca's leg was bouncing uncontrollably, her body searching for an outlet for all the anxiety building within her. She picked at her nails and let her eyes wander as the pressure built in her chest. The silence continued to stretch between she and the doctor.
Dr. Junk seemed determined to remain quiet until Beca spoke. Since she'd first entered the office that morning, the woman had only asked how she was feeling and if she wanted to talk about what happened.
Beca answered neither question. She certainly did not want to talk about it. She was tired of talking. She was tired of that place. She was tired of the schedule and the treatment. She was just so tired.
Finally, the pressure in her chest was too much and it burst out in the form of her voice.
"I want to go home."
Dr. Junk tilted her head with a sad sort of smile.
"I know."
"So, let me go."
"You signed an agreement," she reminded her, "30 days. You're halfway through."
"What happens if I try to leave then? A straitjacket and a padded room? Strap me to my bed?"
"That's pretty grim. But, no, it's essentially breaking a contract."
"Ok. A fine, then? Great. Sure. I've got money," Beca answered quickly, "It's bullshit how much money they give me. You can have it."
"Beca- "
"How much, huh?" she asked, never having been one to throw around her financial status before, but if it let her go home, she wasn't above it in that moment, "How much will it cost to let me go home?"
"We're here to help you, Beca. To help your problems. The cause and they symptom," she told her, "I don't know how to help you believe that we only want to help you; that going through this really is for your own good."
"Well sorry, I've heard that too many times," she snapped, "People doing things for my own good."
Dr. Junk was silent a moment, giving her a chance to calm down before prodding further.
"Do you want to tell me what happened last night?"
Beca crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, taking a deep breath in through her nose, "Nothing."
"Now I don't think that's true. I don't think 'nothing' would lead to you being found at the phones in such a state you had to be sedated and spend the night in our medical center," she remarked, "Chloe called our front desk in a panic, threatening to break down our doors to see for herself you were still alive. I was barely able to convince her to wait until this afternoon."'
Beca felt her jaw tick at the knowledge that she'd worried Chloe so much. She should have considered that before calling her. But she couldn't help herself. She had to be selfish and hear her voice.
"Did something happen during your phone call? Did you hear something upsetting?"
"No."
"Ok," she nodded, "Then what upset you so much? Was it our conversation?"
Beca scoffed, "You mean when you shit on the only person who gave a damn about me growing up?"
Dr. Junk set her glasses on the desk with a quiet sigh. Folding a hand under her chin, she looked intently at Beca.
"I'm sorry you felt that's what I did," she apologized, "It wasn't my intention, but the facts remain. The fact is your father shouldn't have put you in that position. Putting that decision on you as a child was unfair and set you up to feel guilty whichever you chose."
"No, he gave me a choice because she never did," Beca argued, "Because he loved me."
"I don't doubt that," she assured her, "Parents can love their children with everything in them and still make mistakes; make bad decisions."
Beca swallowed, wondering how she'd managed to let this conversation happen. She looked around the office once more before settling her gaze back on the doctor.
"Do you have any kinds?"
"A daughter, yes," she answered, grabbing a frame on her desk, and turning it around to show Beca, "A little younger than you. Just started college actually."
Beca leaned forward and picked up the silver frame to get a good look at the photograph. In it she saw the doctor she'd become familiar with, but dressed more casually, standing with an arm wrapped around a younger version of herself. Bright smiles on both their faces as they stood in front of what looked like a sorority house of some kind.
"Cute," she commented, "Her dad?"
"Passed. A long time ago."
"Sorry," Beca cleared her throat, running her thumb along the grooves of the decorative frame, "You love her? With everything in you?"
"Absolutely," she answered without hesitation.
"You make mistakes?"
"Plenty," she said with amusement.
Beca set the picture back on the desk, allowing Dr. Junk to set it back into its place. Beca noticed the way she took an extra second to look at it with a smile on her face before returning her focus to Beca.
"You protect her, right?" she asked suddenly, "Do your best to keep her safe from…everything?"
"As much as possible."
"Good," she nodded. She looked down and took a breath, "There's …bad people out there."
Dr. Junk nodded and looked at the clock.
"Tell you what," she said, patting her hand against the desk, "Chloe is coming for visit in a couple hours, right?"
Beca nodded.
"Why don't we end this a little early today? You can get some rest, take a shower before she comes. Give yourself time to refresh and reset after last hm?"
Beca nodded, accepting the offer with a sniffle before standing.
"Thanks."
She went back to her room to do as she suggested, slightly apprehensive about seeing her roommate again after what happened. She was relieved, however, to see that Calamity was also napping in her own bed. She was happy to avoid a conversation with her so soon.
She set the alarm to give herself an hour to rest and allow time for a shower before Chloe arrived, then crawled into her bed. Thankfully, her body was already worn down by the day so far and she was able to quickly fall asleep.
X
"Chloe?" Aubrey called out as she let herself into the apartment.
"Aubrey?" Chloe stepped out of the bathroom, obviously having been in the shower, "What are you doing here?"
"You weren't answering your phone," Aubrey said, following her towards her room where Chloe went about getting dressed, "I used my key."
"You mean the emergency key?"
"The key that was downgraded to emergency status when you started sleeping with a certain A-list troublemaker on the reg? Yes, that key."
Chloe rolled her eyes as she put her shirt on and then picked up her phone to see all the missed calls waiting there.
"Well, what's the emergency then?"
"Awesome or weird?"
"What?"
"Do you want to hear the awesome or the weird first?"
Chloe sighed and swiped her damp hair away from her face.
"Aubrey, I don't have time to mess around ok? Something happened last night with Beca and she called me freaking out. I'm about to drive up there, so please."
"Is she ok?"
"I don't know," Chloe answered honestly, "Her doctor said it was fine to wait for regular visiting time to come, so I guess it's not dangerous or anything."
"Well, that's good."
"I guess," she said, slipping on her shoes, and looked at Aubrey, "So go ahead, give me your news. Awesome first."
"Ok," Aubrey clapped her hands, "Guess who got you a meeting with TJ Dillon?"
Chloe paused and looked at her with wide eyes.
"No."
"Yes."
"TJ Dillon? Like TJ Dillon. Thomas Jay Dillon. Two-time Oscar winner. That TJ Dillon."
"The very same," she smiled proudly, "He's got a new project and I got your name in the conversation for a part."
"Holy shit," Chloe breathed, "That's not just awesome, Aubrey. That's aca-awesome!"
"Who's the best?" Aubrey asked, brushing her hand down the front of her blouse as if clearing something off.
"You're the best!" Chloe squealed, jumping to wrap Aubrey in her arms, "Oh this is amazing. I needed good news today."
Aubrey indulged her a moment before pulling back.
"Ok, well hold on to that feeling cause here comes the weird.," she told her, "I've been looking into Beca's contracts with Bitch-who-will-not-be-named."
"She actually let you?"
"Well, no, but her assistant hates her as much as we do. One conversation and she was happy to fax me what looks like a copy of everything that bitch had."
"How did she get away with that?"
"I didn't ask but suffice to say that I promised her a position," she told her, "I doubt she really wants to hang around even if Angela doesn't find out who leaked all her info."
"Ok. What's weird about it?"
"On top of the actual contract where she's taking an insane percentage of Beca's earnings from each job," Aubrey started, "One of the things she sent is a copy of what looks like a fund transfer agreement with the accountant."
"So, what's weird about the transfer?" Chloe asked, "Where's it going? How much is it?"
"It's going to Angela. It's literally millions, Chloe," Aubrey told her, pulling the specific forms out of her purse and laying them on the table, "And look. Beca signed it."
"What?" Chloe furrowed her brow and looked at, "I mean, she's said she wants to quit before. Leave it all behind. Maybe, maybe when she was in one of those moods, she did this? But I don't see her giving it to her mom though."
"Like I said," Aubrey nodded, "Weird, right?"
Choe agreed and looked at the time, realizing she needed to get going if she didn't want to lose any of her time with Beca, she let out a groan.
"I have to…I have to go," she sighed, "I'll ask her about it while I'm there."
"No," Aubrey said, "It sounds like she had a rough time. Don't give her anything to worry about just yet. I feel like there's more to this. I'll see what else I can find out. You just enjoy your visit as usual for now, ok?"
"You sure?"
"Of course," she gathered her things and smirked, "After all, who's the best?"
X
Beca woke to the low beeping of the alarm, feeling as if she'd only had her eyes shut for a blink. Rubbing her face, she got up and made her way into the bathroom to shower. Once she was done, she realized how right Dr. Junk had been. Between the nap and the hot rinse, she felt much more human and suitable to see her girlfriend.
She returned to the room feeling refreshed and gave a few minutes of attention to her appearance. With about fifteen minutes to spare before visitors would start arriving, she looked at her still sleeping roommate.
As much as she didn't want to talk to her, Beca figured the least she could do was wake Calamity, so she didn't miss out on time with Reagan. She'd be pissed if their roles were reversed and she was left to sleep rather than see Chloe.
With a sigh, she crossed the space to stand by the bed, looking at the woman's back as she slept facing the wall.
"Hey," she said, "Wake up, almost time for visits."
When the woman didn't stir, Beca sat spoke more firmly and poked her shoulder.
"Hey, Calamity. Come on, wake up."
She remained sleeping and Beca dropped onto the edge of the mattress, "Come on, dude. I'm trying to be nice here. I didn't tell anyone what happened last night, alright?"
She grabbed her shoulder and gave her a shake, causing the woman to roll onto her back. Beca jumped to her feet and stood staring at her with wide eyes. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she felt frozen in place.
"Calamity?" she choked out, "Kate?"
X
"What the- "Chloe wondered aloud as she pulled into Barden and saw the ambulance out front with its doors open and waiting, "Oh my God."
She hurried out of her car and ran inside, her mind a mess of a panic with the need to see Beca. She barely got in the lobby when an order stepped in her way and stopped her with his hands on her shoulders.
"Ma'am," he started, "You can't be here right now, I'm sorry. We're asking- "
"I need to see Beca. I need to know she's ok."
"We're asking all visitors to wait in their cars until everything is sorted."
"No, you don't understand- "
"Eddie," a voice called out and Chloe saw an older woman walking away from a police officer towards them, "It's ok. I've got it."
He nodded and left the two of them.
"Chloe, right?" getting a nod, "I'm Dr. Junk, we spoke on the phone last night."
"Is Beca ok?" she asked, using everything ounce of strength to not start screaming, "Is she hurt?"
"She's not hurt," the woman answered, careful with her words, "There was an incident with a resident. If you come with me, I think Beca could use your company."
Dr. Junk led her through the secure door and down the hall towards her office.
"We had everyone return to their rooms, but with the incident, that's…not possible for her at the moment" she explained before opening the door.
Chloe could have fallen over in relief when the open door revealed Beca inside the room. Sitting on the couch with her legs pulled up to her chest, eyes blank as they stared out the window.
"Beca," Chloe breathed out and rushed over to her. Dropping to her knees in front of her she instantly ran her hands over the woman, "Beca. Oh baby. Are you ok? Are you- "
She stopped talking and instead wrapped her arms around her. Moving to sit beside her, she held her close, pressing kisses to the side of her head.
"I'm here," she told her, "I'm here, I've got you."
After a few moments, she felt Beca slowly move to return the embrace. Chloe barely registered Dr. Junk closing the door behind her as she left. Only focused on the woman in her arms.
"She's dead, Chlo," Beca's voice finally creaked out of her throat, her eyes still on the window and the ambulance outside, "She's dead."
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A/N: Well that was a thing that happened. I'll try not to make you all wait so long for the next bit!