Ah you all are amazing. Thank you so much for all of the support last chapter!

Chapter 7

Chloe spent the majority of the night thinking about what she and Stacie had talked about at Fig's Diner. In fact, the conversation kept her up for quite some time as she laid in bed, replaying her best friend's words over and over again.

Even when they were at the restaurant, it was obvious that Beca was trying to avoid them. Another woman had been their waitress and Beca made it a point to stay by the other end of the restaurant. She had said goodbye to them when they left, but other than that, there wasn't any sort of conversation. It was clear that Beca hadn't wanted them there.

Never, in a million years, had Chloe wanted to push Beca away. She hadn't wanted to make the brunette's transition to Barden any harder than she was sure it already is. Chloe had wanted to do the exact opposite, and now feelings of guilt and embarrassment have been weighing heavily on her.

Going into school on Tuesday morning, a newfound sense of determination coursing through her body, Chloe came to the conclusion that she needs to make it right.

She makes her way to their first period English class, arriving at the school earlier than Stacie and Aubrey, but not as early as she was yesterday to meet Beca and Macy in the lobby. Which, now looking back, Chloe can see why that caught the sisters off guard.

Chloe shakes her head, trying to shake the memory out of her mind as she stands in the doorway of Mr. Harrington's class. Sure enough, Beca is already at her seat, with only a couple of their other classmates scattered about the room. She wipes her sweaty palms on her jeans, suddenly incredibly nervous to face the brunette.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly makes her way over to the second row of desks, where Beca is sitting with her head bent over a notebook. Chloe gulps, her greeting coming out much more hesitant than anything she has ever said. "Hey…"

Beca freezes when she hears Chloe come up beside her, not exactly knowing how she is going to react. Like Chloe, Beca spent a lot of last night thinking about what had happened at Fig's, along with her conversation with CR. She didn't get much sleep – and this time it wasn't solely because Macy was having nightmares. She couldn't stop the memories that she has tried so hard to forget from reappearing, her brain trying its best to rationalize with her and convince Beca to ignore CR's advice.

As much as she wanted Chloe and Stacie to leave Fig's, it wasn't because she was mad about them showing up. Well, originally it was. After talking with CR, though, Beca didn't really know what she should say to them. She would love to just listen to what CR had said about giving Chloe a chance, but she can't just make her personality do a complete 180. It's not that easy. Not after seven years of acting in the completely opposite way.

Placing her pencil on the desk beside the notebook, it's Beca that has the small smile on her face. For the first time since meeting the redhead, the enthusiasm that Chloe seems to embody, is missing. "Hey."

Chloe slides into her desk beside Beca, her cerulean orbs meeting Beca's navy ones. Her heart is pounding so hard in her chest that it feels as though everyone in the classroom can hear it, but she's grateful that Beca isn't completely ignoring her. After yesterday at Fig's, she could've sworn the brunette was going to be avoiding her. Despite wanting to get straight to the heart of the conversation, Chloe starts slow. "What are you working on?"

"Oh, um…" Beca glances back down at the notebook where she's been working out some equations off of Macy's math homework from last night. She briefly considers lying, before she hears CR's voice in the back of her head. "Macy has a math test tomorrow, so I've been writing out the steps to some of the practice problems to help her study." It's not the complete truth; Meghan, the girls' social worker, is coming over for a home check later this afternoon and Macy is already stressing about it. Beca figured that by doing some of the problems before hand, it might help Macy concentrate in the long run.

Chloe tries not to let her heart melt at the fact that this girl cares about her sister so much, that she's willing to take time out of her morning to do pre-algebra, but her words convey exactly that."Aw…that's so sweet."

Beca snorts, brushing some of the eraser shavings off of the paper. "Yeah, except for the fact that there's only so many ways that you can explain long division." They had worked on her review packet for over an hour last night when they got back from Fig's, ending only when the frustration became palpable in the room around them.

Before she can stop herself, the question is already slipping from Chloe's lips. "Do you want me to take a look at it?"

"No, that's okay… it's really tedious and not what anyone should be doing at quarter after seven in the morning." Beca starts rambling, nervously pushing the notebook back and forth.

Chloe speaks softly, leaving plenty of room for Beca to say 'no'. "I don't mind. Sometimes, I tutor my neighbors' kids and I'm always looking for practice."

Beca sighs. "Uh… okay, sure." Look, she's trying her best, okay?

Before Beca has a chance to change her mind, Chloe takes the notebook off of her desk and looks carefully at the work that she has already completed. The redhead tries to keep her eyes from widening as she looks over the extensive explanations written neatly amidst the lines of the notebook. The amount of work that is there, couldn't have simply been completed in the short time Beca has been sitting here. It seems as though she's been working on this for hours. "Wow. This is a lot."

Reaching up to play with her earring, Beca watches Chloe carefully peering over the work. She started doing it last night when she couldn't sleep, but eventually had to stop because Macy shifted in her sleep so that her head was on Beca's lap. "Yeah, I guess."

"I mean… I highly doubt you're missing anything, but one thing that helps some of the kids I work with is using colored pencils to highlight specific parts of the equation. So, using different colors to circle or underline certain parts, or drawing arrows and stuff. Some kids find it more confusing, but it's all a matter of preference."

Beca nods, mulling the possibility over in her mind. "That's a good idea. Thanks."

"Of course. Happy to help." Chloe grins, handing the notebook back to Beca and instantly regretting it. She has nowhere to put her hands, and nothing else to keep the conversation away from what she really wants to talk about. Well, it's now or never. "Listen, Beca, I uh…I wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday."

Eyebrows furrowed, Beca hesitantly brings her attention back up to the redhead. "What do you mean?"

Chloe pushes one of her curls behind her ear, thinking back to the speech she had prepared last night laying in bed. "I was a little overzealous, to say the least. I shouldn't have ambushed you yesterday in the lobby, and I really shouldn't have shown up to your work like that."

Beca can't believe her ears. It's not very often that people apologize to her. More often than not, Beca is left to take the blame for everything that happens in her life – regardless of whether or not it was her fault. But with Chloe sitting here, apologizing for something that people normally wouldn't apologize for (even if her actions did put Beca on edge, it's not like she blamed the other senior, she just chalked it up to her personality), she really doesn't know what to say.

Beca twists her bracelets around her wrist. "Oh. It's fine. It's really not a big deal."

The redhead lets out a breath that she didn't realize she was holding, grateful that Beca isn't holding yesterday against her – at least, not visibly. "I just… I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable or anything, and I know I overstepped." She chooses her next words carefully, "I meant what I said about being friends – and I don't want that to change – but I get it that I got a little carried away."

For the first time since this conversation started, Beca meets Chloe's gaze. Chloe's eyes are wide, almost pleading with the brunette, with Beca not really knowing what to say. She can't just not answer, and she can't just keep saying that it's okay, even if it is. It doesn't seem fair that Chloe just bared her soul, and Beca has yet ti. say anything in return.

Hesitantly, with Beca struggling to find the right words, she mutters, "I've uh…I've never been very good at the whole friend thing. So, uh, thank you. For saying that, I mean." She hates how vulnerable this girl manages to make her feel every single time they're around each other, and she equally hates the fact that CR might be right.

Thankfully, with Beca's comment comes a glimpse of the real Chloe. She grins, shrugging slightly and looking rather pleased with herself. "Well, I'm pretty awesome at 'this whole friend thing', so I think I'll be able to help you out."

This time, Chloe catches the slightest glimpse of a smile on Beca's face as she turns sheepishly away from her.

Progress.

Chloe didn't ask Beca many more questions that day, which Beca was grateful for. With her mind focused on the upcoming events of the afternoon, she was glad to just take part in mindless conversations with the redhead and her friends. Beca also found that she felt much more at ease around the group after her conversation with Chloe that morning. It was a baby step (a baby baby step) towards being comfortable around them, and while there's still a long way to go, there was a part of Beca that ended up being cautiously optimistic about Chloe's persistence.

That being said, Beca has to push the redhead out of her mind as she walks across the lawn to Jack's house, Macy's hand firmly in hers.

Looking up at the small house in front of them, Beca can't help but think about how much she would rather be at Fig's right now. Even with the stupid apron and the smell of fried food, working a shift with CR seems much more desirable than meeting with her social worker. And, by the silence that Macy's kept since they left Barden, it seems as though her little sister agrees.

Luckily, this meeting should be relatively standard. Meghan typically waits a week before checking in with the girls after placing them with a new foster family, just to make sure everything is starting off on a positive note. Still, the woman who is generally associated with bad news and even worse memories, sparks a deep feeling of fear and anxiety for the sisters, regardless of her reasons for visiting.

Pulling Jack's house key from her backpack, Beca briefly releases Macy's hand so that they can get into the house. Jack's truck is already in the driveway, but the familiar minivan that Meghan has been driving since Beca met her over seven years ago is nowhere to be seen.

So far, Beca can't really complain about their current placement. It's on the smaller side, but Beca and Macy have their own space and can stay out of their foster father's way. The house has the bare minimums in terms of furnishings; a television, couch with an ottoman, and table with a lamp in the living room, and a table that sits four people in the kitchen. Each of the girls' bedrooms has a bed, dresser, and a nightstand, and neither of them have been in the master, but they doubt it's much different. There aren't any pictures hanging on the walls, and other items typically used to make a house feel homey, are absent.

Jack, himself, kind of reminds Beca of his house in the sense that he's very cut and dry. He never has very much to say, and he certainly doesn't act 'fatherly' in anyway shape or form. He does what he needs to do to keep his license; provides at least one meal a day for the girls, pays the bills to keep the electricity on, and gives them a place to sleep. In the few conversations that Beca has had with him, she's gathered that he works construction – often meaning early mornings and late nights – and that he never married and doesn't have any kids. Why that made him choose to become a foster parent, Beca isn't sure, but it isn't the first time she's questioned someone's decision to foster, and it probably won't be the last.

Closing the door behind them, Beca glances into the living room. Jack is sitting on the couch, his attention on whatever is playing on the television. He's still in his work clothes, his shirt slightly stained and his hands are visibly dirty – even from where the girls are standing. He hasn't shaved in a few days, so his chin is partially covered with graying spikes of hair. He doesn't even look up from his show. "Meghan should be here soon. Go put your bags upstairs."

He doesn't have to tell Macy twice, who immediately starts climbing the wooden staircase that is directly in front of the door. Beca quickly follows, tossing her bag on the floor of her bedroom once she gets upstairs. Macy does the same, before cautiously approaching the one window that's in the bedroom, the view overlooking the street in front of the house.

"Hey, Beca?"

Beca pushes herself up from where she's lying on her back on the mattress, her arms previously covering her eyes. "Hmm?"

"Has Meghan always been our social worker?"

The older sister quirks her head to the side, watching Macy carefully. "Um… for the most part. There was a different woman that stayed with us right after the accident, but Meghan was the one who brought us to our first placement." Macy falls silent, looking back out the window, but Beca can see the wheels turning in her head. "Why do you ask?"

It takes a moment before Macy turns back around, shrugging slightly, but keeping her eyes trained on the ground in front of her. "I don't know. She's not very good at her job."

Beca can't stop herself from laughing. "No, no she's not." She watches as Macy starts to pick at the skin around her fingernails, something clearly weighing on her. Beca taps the comforter beside her. "Come here. What's going on, Mace?"

Macy joins her shortly, sitting next to Beca on the mattress and swinging her legs back and forth against the floor, her shoes barely touching. "I don't like having to see her."

"I know, I don't really like seeing her either." Beca sways to the side, gently bumping her shoulder against Macy's. "But it's something we have to do, you know?"

She sighs. "For how much longer, though? When can we stop seeing her?"

Macy used to ask this question a lot when they were younger, and, while over the years the frequency has decreased, she still brings it up when the trials of foster care are especially challenging. Beca feels as though she asks mostly for reassurance; reassurance that Beca isn't going anywhere, and reassurance that their current living arrangements are not forever, which she understands. Macy turned five just a few months before the accident happened, so foster care is pretty much all she's ever known. It's kind of a shitty way to grow up.

Once Beca realized that their chances of getting adopted were (and still are) slim to none, she had made a promise to both herself and Macy, that, once Beca turned eighteen, she would get custody of her younger sister. While Macy always dreamed about the perfect family looking to adopt two more girls into their household (and, let's be honest, Beca had been holding out hope for a while, too), this future arrangement gives her a glimpse of a future life without DCF, or social workers, or foster parents. It gives her the chance to believe that, one day, she'll be able to be happy and safe with her sister.

Beca reaches out and plays with the end of Macy's braid, before laying it over her shoulder. "Well, I graduate in June, and I don't turn eighteen until August. So, a little less than a year, hopefully."

The younger girl finally looks up to her sister, eye shimmering with hope. "And we'll stay in Atlanta? Near CR?"

"As long as we can find a place that works." Beca's been saving her wages ever since she started working at Fig's. She's been working for as many hours as she possibly can since she was hired and has another year to do the same. The idea is that it'll give them a substantial cushion for when they first start off, and that it'll show DCF that's she responsible enough to handle money for the two of them.

Macy smiles to herself, imagining a world where it's just her and Beca living in an apartment together. She'll go to school during the day and Beca will go to work with CR. Afterwards, they'll eat dinner together and actually have a fun time without worrying about having to get home to strict foster parents. When they do go home – to their own home – Beca will tuck her in to her own bed, and she'll sleep through the night because she knows that she's safe. "I can't wait."

Leaning over to plant a firm kiss on the top of Macy's head, Beca hums in agreement. "Me neither, kid."

Sitting together in the silence of the bedroom, both girls watch as Meghan's dark green minivan pulls into the driveway, Macy's heart rate instantly quickening. Beca notices this almost immediately, with the older girl wrapping her arm around her sister and pulling her in close as they watch their social worker exit her car and walk up to the front of the house. They wait with bated breath for the doorbell to sound, and, sure enough, it does moments later.

Beca practically has to drag Macy out of the room, their hands linked and Macy falling into an anxious silence once more. As they reach the top of the stairs, Jack is already at the door, welcoming the social worker in with a handshake and a 'nice to see you.'

Meghan Griffin has been working for the Department of Children and Families for over thirty years. She's a portly woman, who tends to waddle more than walk, and her hair has been dyed blonde so many times, that it looks like each strand could snap in half. She wears a pair of glasses around her neck on a beaded chain, something that entertains some of the younger children that she cares for, and typically dons a pair of suit pants and a blouse, along with tennis shoes for days that she's conducting home visits. It's quite the look, and Beca gets a kick out of it every time she sees her.

Meghan has been working with the Mitchell siblings since their parents accidents. Originally, she didn't think that she would have a problem placing them in an adoptive home; they were both sweet girls and relatively young at the time of their parents' death. As they grew older, though, with Beca becoming more and more protective of her little sister and becoming more reserved herself, as well as Macy starting to struggle with her own anxiety issues, the pair became more difficult to place.

"Hello, girls." Meghan greets the sisters as they make their way down the stairs, Beca's signature blank stare watching her as closes the door behind herself. "How are we doing today?"

Beca shrugs. "We're fine."

The social worker purses her lips. She's talked to the older girl multiple times about speaking for her younger sister, but the headstrong teen never seems to listen.

Jack leads the party into the living room, motioning to the couch as he does so. "Please, make yourself at home. Can I get you a drink? Water? Tea?"

Meghan waves him off. "No, thank you." She clears her throat, looking around at the room. Beca and Macy are staying as close to the doorway as possible, with the younger girl standing in front of Beca, Beca's hands protectively on her shoulders. On the absolute opposite side of the room, Jack stands with his hands tucked into his pockets. She had been nervous about placing the girls with him, but there weren't very many people looking for twelve- and seventeen-year-old siblings. Especially ones with histories like Beca and Macy.

"I'm going to try and make this as brief as possible. I'll do my quick run through, we'll chat all together, and then I'll talk to the girls separately. Sound good?"

Beca nods, having been through this on more than one occasion.

"Great. I'm just going to take a peek in the kitchen, and then I'll be back." Before anyone has a chance to object, Meghan waddles off, the sound of her footsteps shortly followed by the sound of her opening and closing the cabinets and the fridge.

She comes back moments later. "Okay, everything looked good in there. Girls, Jack, why don't you have a seat on the couch." Meghan pulls the ottoman away from the couch, taking a seat on the cushion as Jack sits on one far end of the couch, and Macy and Beca sit on the other, with Macy sitting as close to her sister as physically possible.

Opening up her notepad and sliding her glasses onto her nose, Meghan peers up over the rims. "So, how're we doing so far? How is everyone adjusting?"

Jack runs a hand over his balding head. "The girls have been great. They seem to be settling in well."

Beca resists the urge to scoff. They've barely talked to this man since moving in. How in the world would he know whether or not they're 'settling in well'?

Meghan, on the other hand, seems to approve of his statement. "That's great. And girls, are you feeling the same way?"

"Sure," Beca deadpans.

This time, Meghan doesn't look up as she writes down Beca's answer. "And Macy? What about you?"

"It's good." Her voice is quiet and timid. Not only is she terrified of the social worker, but it's not like she's incredibly comfortable with their foster father either. The few meals that the girls have eaten with Jack have been almost silent affairs, with Jack asking them questions occasionally, but eventually just giving up.

"Jack, do you have anything that you would like to discuss as a group? Any questions, or concerns?"

Jack shakes his head, "No, I think I'm good on my end."

"Great. I'll check in again after I talk with the girls." The social worker closes her notepad with a swift motion, tucking it under her arm as she pushes herself off the cushion. "Girls, why don't we head upstairs to your rooms. We'll chat up there."

She waits for Beca to lead the way, Macy still pressed against her side. By the time they get to the top of the stairs – all of them knowing what's next – Macy is gripping Beca's hand so tight that her knuckles are white.

Meghan points one crooked finger at Macy's bedroom. "Macy, you can wait in there. I'll be in after I talk with your sister."

Beca offers her sister a small smile, trying her best to reassure Macy without getting the older woman involved. "I'll be right back, okay?" The younger brunette doesn't move. "Mace, go wait on your bed. It's okay. I'm just going to be across the hall."

After another moment of Macy trying to collect her thoughts, she releases Beca's hand, taking a tentative step into the bedroom that she has yet to sleep in, and sitting down on the bed. Meghan waits for Beca to make her way into her own bedroom, before closing the door behind them. As much as Beca would like to have it open so Macy knows that there isn't anything to be worried about, she knows the social worker won't hear of it.

The social worker circles around the room, gesturing to the bed for Beca to sit down. When she does, tucked up at the top of the bed and placing her pillow on her lap, Meghan sits down at the end of the mattress, reopening her notepad. "Hi, Beca."

"Hi, Meghan."

She offers the teen a tight-lipped smile. "How are you doing?"

It takes everything in Beca not to roll her eyes. Can't they just cut the chit-chat and wrap up this whole charade? "I'm fine."

"How have things been going this last week? How are things with Jack going?"

"They're good."

Trying not to get frustrated with her two word answers, Meghan straightens so that she's looking at Beca through the lens of her glasses as opposed to over the rim. "And school? How are you liking Barden? Have you made any friends?"

Chloe's face flashes across Beca's mind, answering the question for her. "Yeah, I guess."

Meghan's eyebrow quirks upwards. "Really? Well, that's good."

Beca quirks her head to the side, pursing her lips slightly. "Oh, come on. No need to act so surprised."

The social worker ignores Beca's quip. She's been dealing with the girl long enough to know not to entertain her sarcasm. "And how have you been feeling?"

Beca's face darkens, returning right back to the closed off state she was in previously. She shifts her attention down to the comforter in front of her, picking slightly at the loose thread. "I'm fine."

"Beca…" Meghan lets out a soft sigh, taking her glasses off and letting them hang from her neck. She doesn't reach out to comfort the teen, knowing just how much she dislikes physical contact, but instead keeps her attention on her and not so focused on taking down notes. "Have you thought about what we discussed? About maybe meeting with someone to talk about what happened?"

The brunette shakes her head, lips drawn in a straight line, and her expression not leaving any room for an argument. "I'm not talking about this. I'm fine."

Already having expected that answer, Meghan doesn't fight it. They've had this conversation a time or two. "Okay. If you're sure." When Beca doesn't answer, it's obvious that the conversation is coming to an end. "Is there anything you want to talk to me about before I go talk to Macy?"

Beca leans her head up against the wall, "Nope."

Meghan closes her notepad, carefully sliding off the bed and back onto the hardwood, her sneakers squeaking against the surface. "Alright. I'll go talk with Macy and then I'll come in and say goodbye."

Beca simply murmurs in acknowledgement, not paying attention as the social worker leaves her room.

Less than one year left.

Next chapter I'm bringing in another character from the movie. Any guesses as to who it is or what their role will be?

Any who, thanks for reading! Please leave a review/favorite/follow if you enjoyed! See you on Thursday :)