A/N I'm enjoying writing this, and I have quite a lot planned and already written. I'd appreciate any specific feedback or suggestions since this is the first time I've done fanfiction. Thanks!
Chapter 6: Jailbirds
Beca was walking home with breakfast one morning when Jesse came running out of nowhere, nearly making her spill the coffees.
"Jeez, Swanson! You need to tone down your serial killer vibes."
"Sorry." Jesse laughed as he slowed to match her pace. "So listen, me and my band finally have practiced enough and come up with a good set list that we're ready to perform."
"Really?" Beca's eyes widened.
"Yeah you should come. Bring the bellas if you want, too. Its at the Treble Lounge Friday at 8."
"Yeah, I'll tell them. Dude, that's awesome Jesse!" Beca gave him a supportive punch.
"I know, I'm surprised we managed to even stay together with our busy schedules and majors." Jesse couldn't wipe the grin off his face. "I give credit to Ben, he held us together."
"Got a good one there, huh?" Beca wiggled her eyebrows.
"Oh yeah." Jesse smiled at the ground before turning serious. "Hey, Beca, I'm sorry about Luke. I didn't know…"
"Yeah, no worries." Beca gulped and cut him off.
"I quit my job before he had the chance to fire me. Told him off too in front of the station manager."
"Cool, so look," Beca took a deep breath and glanced around. "I gotta get this stuff home before it gets cold and Aubrey has my head." She started speed walking away. "See you Friday!"
"See ya." Jesse whispered to himself, watching Beca scurry off.
Chloe snatched one of the four coffees from the drink holder before Beca was even to the kitchen.
"Oh my God! I love Rocco's coffee!" She took a big whiff from the cup before taking a sip. Beca handed Aubrey hers and set Fat Amy's aside. She opened the box with muffins and donuts and hesitantly looked at Aubrey.
"Hey, Aubrey, can I run something by you?"
"Don't tell me you're wanting to mess with the songs." Aubrey groaned. "We don't have the time or-"
"No, its not about the set." Beca held up her hand.
"Okay." Aubrey sipped her coffee curiously. Chloe's interest was also piqued.
"I thought maybe…" Beca rubbed the back of her neck. Chloe was definitely beyond curious now. It wasn't hard to get Beca flustered but for her to bring something up and immediately get flustered? This must be big. What if she's pregnant? No...not possible. She already said she wasn't planning on messing with the set. What if its choreography? That would really get Aubrey angry. Just spit it out, Beca!
"I had an idea." Beca shrugged as if that just made everything crystal clear. Chloe and Aubrey exchanged confused and slightly worried glances.
"An idea about what, Beca?" Aubrey asked with a hint of a threatening tone.
"There's a band. A band who sings songs." Beca continued gesturing with her hands as she did when she was nervous.
"Good God, Beca, spit it out!" Aubrey lost her patience.
"I thought maybe the Bellas could go watch them for a bonding activity. Its Jesse's band and we all like him." Beca blurted out as if her whole sentence was once word. Aubrey's lips slowly turned into a smile as she glanced at Chloe.
"You're...suggesting a bella bonding activity?" Aubrey tried to control herself from squealing and needed affirmation that this was actually coming from Beca.
"Yeah, okay?" Beca melted into a chair and put her head on her forearms.
"Beca Mitchell wants a bella bonding activity!" Chloe squealed.
"Jesse invited us!" Beca's head shot up. "I'm just passing the information on to the dictator." She waved her hand at Aubrey hoping to wipe the smug grin off her face. But Aubrey only smiled more.
"I think its a wonderful idea!" Aubrey reached out and patted Beca's arm, which Beca withdrew immediately like a petulant child. "I'll let the ladies know." Aubrey laughed and pulled out her phone to send the group text.
"You softie." Chloe playfully stroked Beca's back as Beca returned her head to resting on her forearms on the kitchen counter.
"Let's go ladies!" Aubrey clapped her hands. "Me and Chloe have the only cars so, five people each."
"Yes, mom." Beca snarkily saluted as she hurried outside to grab shotgun in Chloe's car.
"DJ Mitchell, song requests?" Chloe asked as she started up the car with Fat Amy, Lilly, and Stacie in the back.
"I'm not falling for that. You're just going to pick something peppy anyway." Beca shook her head.
"Lets get some stripper music going!" Fat Amy, oddly sitting in the middle, bounced up and down. Chloe smirked and quickly found a certain playlist on her phone and hit play. "Pillowtalk" by Zayn was the first to come on.
"Aww yeah." Amy awkwardly started feeling herself up. When the chorus came on, the whole care (sans Beca) belted out "So we'll piss off the neighbors!"
Beca could only laugh and she caught herself glancing as Chloe moved her hips to the song in the driver's seat. Chloe caught her in the corner of her eye and made her movements more pronounced and snuck a quick wink, making Beca whip her head to look out the window.
"Damn, Red." Fat Amy breathed heavily as they got out of the car when they reached the bar. "You get us all worked up the whole ride over. Those boys in there don't know what's about to hit them." She slapped her belly and glared predatorily at the bar's door.
"Hunter has been activated." Stacie marched close behind. They weren't sure where Lilly had disappeared to.
"Ready?" Chloe chuckled as she wrapped her hand around Beca's elbow and led her inside.
Jesse and his band had finished setting up and the lights in the bar dimmed while the stage lights shone a little brighter.
"Thanks for coming out!" He raised his hand to a light chorus of cheers. "We're gonna get started so have a fun night!" He held his head down waiting for Ben to come in with the familiar guitar solo of "Jesse's Girl."
"Jesse is a friend." Jesse's head popped back up and his mouth was right on the mic as he nodded his head toward Beca in the crowd when he found her.
"He's such a weirdo." Beca laughed as she took a sip of her beer at a table with Chloe and Aubrey.
"They actually sound good." Chloe nodded her head.
"He sounds a little sharp." Aubrey was less than impressed.
"Oh you're just still bitter about -"
"Can it, Mitchell." Aubrey spun to shoot Beca a death glare. Beca smirked and raised her hands in surrender.
When it got to the chorus, Jesse started hopping up and down. "You know I wish that I had Jesse's girl! I wish that I had Jesse's girl!"
Ben leaned in for harmony as they shared a mic for a moment. "Where can I find a woman like that!"
The crowd was getting into the song and some people were even dancing to it. Beca was surprised that the college kids liked a classic song this much. She couldn't hide her laughter when Jesse danced back to back with Ben during the guitar solo. It made her really happy to see Jesse loving what he was doing with the person he loved.
As the song came to an end Jesse pointed to the crowd at Aubrey and winked as he finished the last line "I want Jesse's girl!"
The crowd stopped dancing and started clapping and cheering.
"Thank you, everybody!" Jesse raised his hand. "Now, ladies, I hate to disappoint you but I might've been misleading with that song choice. I don't have a girl, I've got a boyfriend, Ben, here on the guitar." He slapped Ben on the back. "Just wanted to let everyone know before anyone tried hitting on me after the show. Lookin' at you Posen." He smiled playfully.
Beca almost spit her beer out. Chloe tilted her head down to try and hide her smile from Aubrey. They thought back to the time before Aubrey knew Jesse was gay and drunkenly threw herself at him one night. He let her down easy, but it was still a sore spot for her. She shot daggers with her eyes at Jesse.
"My name is Jesse and we are the Fox Trots! We have some more stuff for you tonight. So have a drink, grab a dance partner, and have a great night!" The crowd cheered as the band started up a new song.
For the first hour the bellas stuck together except for Stacie and Lilly. Stacie found a guy almost immediately. Lilly had somehow ended up behind the bar serving drinks. The rest of the bellas danced together and sang to Jesse's band.
"Dance with me!" Chloe hopped over to the table where Beca was sitting alone.
"I'm not drunk enough for that!" Beca winked and continue drinking her beer.
"Beca Mitchell don't make me force you." Chloe put her hands on her hips. Beca just shook her head and avoided her gaze. She almost spilt her beer a second later when she felt Chloe's nails dig into her arm and drag her off the stool.
"Damn, you're aggressive when you drink." Beca swallowed the sip she had taken and stood in front of Chloe who was bouncing around to the Fox Trots next song, "Teenage Dream." Beca didn't approve of the song choice, but actually found that a guy singing it sounded pretty good. She basically just stood still and swayed while Chloe danced around her, but she couldn't help but smile seeing how much fun the redhead was having. She even saw Aubrey having actual fun dancing with Amy. She was proud of herself for the bonding night suggestion.
As the night wore on the bellas gradually dispersed, finding their respective partners for the dance floor or in Stacie's case, the ally behind the bar. Beca was sitting silently with Aubrey, waiting for Chloe to get back. She had a good buzz, but she wasn't sure if she could ever get drunk enough to have actual fun with Aubrey one on one. She glanced around and noticed Chloe getting friendly with a guy at the bar. Her eyes narrowed as she sipped her beer. She flinched when he put his hand on her butt. She instinctively stood up from her stool. Why am I jealous? Why do I want to punch that prick's teeth out?
"Need another?" Beca asked Aubrey as she chugged the last of her beer.
"Sure. Vodka cranberry."
"Be right back." Beca started marching toward the redhead. She awkwardly stepped in between the guy and Chloe, softly pushing him back.
"Scuse me...I'm just gonna...hey there." She gave a fake smile as she tilted her head all the way up to face the guy flirting with Chloe.
"Can I help you?" His brows furrowed and his tone was full of annoyance.
"Just couldn't help noticing you flirting with my girl here." She pointed her thumb back at Chloe.
"Your girl?" Chloe took a step back, amused by the situation unfolding.
"I mean…" Beca spun her head around to look at Chloe and then back to face her competition. "I mean my girl, like my bella sister. You mess with one you mess with all." Beca put her hands on her hips.
"Look, pipsqueak, I don't think your girl here minded me messing with her." He gave a flirtatious wink to Chloe.
"Careful who you call pipsqueak!" Beca reached her arms back and shoved him with as much force as she could muster. He barely moved.
"Okay." Chloe grabbed Beca's shoulder and pulled her back. "One sec, Todd." She held up a finger as she took Beca away.
"Here." Chloe slid her keys into Beca's hand.
"Why are you giving me your keys?"
"I don't think I'm coming home tonight." Chloe whispered in Beca's ear and winked with an excited smile.
"Seriously? With that meathead?" Beca waved a hand at Todd who was still watching them.
"Yeah. Look, its been...awhile for me." Chloe whispered.
"Oh." Beca felt her chest constrict, realizing what Chloe was talking about.
"So can you get my car back home?"
"Uh..yeah, sure."
"Just make sure whoever drives isn't drunk." Chloe leaned in and inhaled. "Like you." She pointed warningly.
"Yeah, no worries." Beca stood dumbfounded as she watched Chloe returned to Todd the meathead. She ordered another beer and made her way back to Aubrey.
"Did you not get mine?" Aubrey looked at a distracted Beca.
"Dammit!" Beca slammed the table and spun around to go get Aubrey's drink. Aubrey flinched and before she could question Beca's outburst she was gone.
Later that night when Jesse's band had finished he found Beca and Aubrey.
"Thanks so much for coming!" He leaned in to give Beca a hug.
"Yeah you're welcome. And gross, you're all sweaty." Beca gently pushed him away.
"Yes, your band was…" Aubrey glanced at him trying not to be irked. "Adequate."
"Well damn!" Jesse held his chest. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said about my music I think." They exchanged friendly glares. He noticed Beca was a little wobbly. "You good, Becs?"
"Umm...actually...think you could drive me and whatever other Bellas need a ride home?"
"For sure." He took the keys from her. "Let me just go let Ben know."
"Why do you have Chloe's keys?" Aubrey interrogated.
"She's hooking up with Mr. Meathead." Beca pointed to a corner where they were now dancing to the music playing through the bar.
"Ah." Aubrey nodded like it all made sense.
Beca and some other Bellas made it home safe and Jesse gave her a hug and another thank you before getting in Ben's car, who had followed behind. Beca fumbled with the keys to get inside and then chunked them on the couch.
"Yo, Beca, you good?" CR put her hand on Beca's arm when she almost took a tumble.
"Great. I'm great." Beca lifted her thumb up. "Just gonna get me some good shut eye." CR watched her until she saw the little brunette get to her room.
"What a lightweight." She laughed to herself as she grabbed a water bottle.
A couple hours later Beca was passed out on her stomach when she heard her ringtone going off. She grumbled and turned her head to put her pillow over her ears. When it stopped ringing, it almost immediately started up again.
"What the fuuuck?" Beca groaned into her pillow as she blindly reached for her phone. She woke up quickly when she saw it was Chloe calling.
"Hello?" She sat up in bed, feeling a slight wave of nausea.
"Beca?" Chloe's voice was a whisper.
"What's going on?" Beca looked at the clock that said 2:13am.
"Can you come get me?" Chloe sounded frantic and scared.
"Where are you?" Beca threw the covers off her body.
"The bar still. They close in less than an hour and Todd's been getting physical. He says he's not leaving unless I go home with him."
"I thought you were going to?" Beca threw a shirt over her sports bra that she had been sleeping in.
"I did. But he's gotten more and more drunk and I don't like how he's acting. He grabbed me when I said I changed my mind. I'm scared."
"I'm leaving now." Beca nearly tripped out her door getting her shoes on. She raced downstairs and briefly thought of waking Aubrey to come with her, but she decided she'd rather not face waking the monster. She frantically searched for Chloe's keys before she remembered throwing them at the couch. She sprinted to the car and peeled away from the street back to the bar.
She ran inside the bar and saw Todd waiting at the end of the bar, right by the bathrooms, where she was pretty sure Chloe was hiding. She nearly sprinted at him and shoved him in the back. He went tumbling forward and hit the wall. He spun around and chuckled sadistically when he saw it Beca.
"Pipsqueak. We meet again. You should leave so I can fuck your girl." He patted her head. She snatched his wrist and spun it around so he landed on his back. The bartender watched and stealthily picked up the phone, calling the cops.
"Big mistake." Todd slowly got back to his feet and lunged at Beca. She stepped aside as he fell into the bar knocking over glasses. Chloe stepped out of the bathroom when she heard the commotion.
"Yeah, your big mistake trying to mess with Chloe." Beca picked up an empty beer bottle from a table.
"Beca, don't!" Chloe ran over but Beca had already hurled the glass bottle at Todd.
"Bitch!" He roared and grabbed her by the arms. She quickly moved her feet to knock him off his.
"Damn, pipsqueak's owning your ass." Beca said proudly until she felt someone grab her hands and put them behind her back. Someone startled Chloe and she instinctively raised her elbow to land a blow to a nose belonging to a cop.
"Shit." She closed her eyes and whispered.
"Alright, ladies let's go." A cop quickly snapped handcuffs on Beca, while his bloody nose partner snapped a pair on Chloe.
"Shit, not again." Beca groaned.
They sat together in a holding cell after a couple hours of getting the story sorted out with the cops. Thankfully no charges would be pressed. But they needed bail, and Chloe insisted calling Aubrey, much to Beca's dismay. They sat silently like little children waiting to be punished.
"I don't think that went very well, but I just wanted to say thank you." Chloe mumbled.
"For getting you arrested? Sure, anytime." Beca closed her eyes and leaned her head against the cold brick wall.
"No for…" Chloe shook her head. "For helping me get away from that creep. I felt so helpless and scared. It was embarrassing…" Chloe sniffed, trying to hold back tears.
"Hey, don't be embarrassed." Beca put her hand on top of Chloe's. "We honestly shouldn't have left you there. That's why women need to stick together. There's lots of creeps around and its not your fault." Chloe just sniffed again and put her head on Beca's shoulder.
"I love you, Beca. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Love you too, Beale."
The desk cop came in and they both sat up. "You're free to go." He stepped aside after opening the gate. Chloe stood up while Beca stayed sitting. Chloe gave her a questioning glance.
"I oddly feel safer here than facing Aubrey right now."
"Oh grow a pair." Chloe rolled her eyes and dragged Beca to her feet. They sheepishly took their things and saw Aubrey standing in the lobby, arms crossed and visibly fuming. Her hair was a mess, her eyes bloodshot, clearly pissed about being woken up in the middle of the night. Beca couldn't make eye contact.
"Aubrey…" Chloe began.
"I do not want to hear it." Aubrey put her hand up. "Get in the car and we will talk in the morning." She spun around and marched outside. Beca and Chloe exchanged embarrassed glances and followed her.
They had just pulled out of the parking lot when Aubrey couldn't hold it in anymore.
"What the hell were you two thinking?! A bar fight? Really, Beca!" She glared in the rearview mirror. "This is such a disgrace to the bellas. And you both could've been badly hurt. You could've been detained longer and had official charges pressed."
"Aubrey, its not all her fault." Chloe whispered. "That guy was bad news."
"Then you should have come home with us!" Aubrey whipped her head to glare at Chloe. "You both acted insanely foolish tonight. You should be ashamed."
"You're not even a little proud that I kicked yet another guy's ass?" Beca looked up hoping to lighten the mood slightly.
"Zip it, Mitchell." Aubrey shot back.
When they pulled up to the house no one left the car and Aubrey took a deep breath.
"Look you two. I'm angry, I'm not going to deny that. But I am glad you're both safe. I would've hated if something worse had happened to either of you tonight. But please, for the love of God, can we act like adults and not let this happen again?"
"Absolutely." Chloe nodded.
"I make no promises." Beca mumbled.
"Excuse me?" Aubrey turned around.
"I'm sorry, but I'm always going to defend my friends and myself. I'm not going to apologize for defending people I care about. Its not like I'm going out looking for fights, Aubrey. But I'll do my best to try and find better ways to handle situations like that if it ever happens again."
"Fair enough." Aubrey let out a deep breath. "I love you guys, you know that right?" Chloe nodded and they hugged each other in the front of the car while Beca scrunched her nose and exited before it got any more mushy.
"Admit it though." Chloe wiped her eyes and watched Beca walk up to the front door. "You are a little proud to have the little fighter in the bellas' corner, right?"
"Well…" Aubrey squinted her eyes at Beca, waiting by the door. "I guess it is sort of nice to have a pint sized body guard on our side." They shared a small laugh and another quick hug before joining Beca and getting a little bit of sleep.