Thank you for all of the support last chapter!

Chapter 12

With the excitement of the upcoming weekend hanging over both Mitchell girls' heads, the rest of the week seems to fly by. Before either one of them knows it, they are sitting in Chloe's car driving to Benji's house to drop Macy off, and so Beca can meet Benji's parents.

The original plan had been for them to take a taxi. But, after Chloe had asked what time Beca thought she was going to be at her house and Beca wasn't exactly sure, the redhead had offered them both a ride to their destinations for that night. After running it by Macy, Beca agreed, thanking her profusely, and also being incredibly grateful that she isn't going to have to pay cab fare for an almost half-hour drive away from Jack's house.

Jack had never been an option. Even if they had wanted to ask them – which they didn't – he had already told them that he was going to be working late Saturday night because his job's current project was behind schedule and the crew needed to play catch up. He told them to have a fun Saturday morning, and neither Beca nor Macy saw him again, leaving his house empty and locked up for the evening.

Beca glances up through the rearview mirror from where she's sitting in the passenger seat, only to see Macy staring out the window as the GPS brings them closer to Benji's address. All leading up to this weekend, Macy had been thrilled. After their talk Wednesday night, she couldn't stop telling Beca about how excited she was. But, as Beca had suspected, when she woke up this morning and as the time to leave gradually grew closer, Macy got more and more quiet, the nerves practically radiating off of her.

Beca has done everything she could think of to try and remind Macy about how excited she had been, and it worked for a little while, but Macy's enthusiasm never quite reached her eyes. She has been lost in her own little world, and clearly still is.

Beside her, Chloe is humming along to 'Party in the U.S.A,' the song playing softly on the radio. Other than a few short exchanges, she hasn't tried engaging either of the brunettes in conversation, sensing that something wasn't right the second they got in the car. Although Beca had given her a smile and Macy muttered a 'hello,' both girls fell silent almost immediately. Early on, Chloe had decided not to push. She's there to help her friend, not make it more difficult.

The GPS tells Chloe to turn down one more street, going further and further into the suburbs. The houses around here aren't as large as the ones that Beca saw in Chloe's neighborhood, but they're still a good size, all of them equally attractive and well-kept.

Finally, Chloe pulls up in front of one of them, putting the car in park before looking out the passenger window. "This is it."

After glancing briefly at the house, the bold-faced 15 on the mailbox confirming the address Macy had given her this morning, Beca turns around in her seat after snapping off her seatbelt with a small smile on her face. "You ready, Mace?"

Macy's eyes don't leave the house beside them, her fingers fiddling with the bracelet on her wrist. Her bag is on her lap, her arms wrapped around it, never once making an effort to move.

"Macy?" Beca tries again, taking her time. This is a big step for her little sister, and she doesn't want to rush it. But, there's also a part of her that recognizes that she probably isn't going to be able to do much with Chloe sitting right next to them. "You ready, kiddo?"

Another bought of silence passes over the car, Chloe trying to be discreet about how she's observing their every move. After Beca had told her the truth about her and Macy, a lot of the younger girl's habits have started to make more sense to Chloe. Why she always hugs her sister before she leaves, why they seem a whole lot closer than normal siblings. One mystery remains, though; Chloe has yet to figure out why it always seems like Macy has such a hard time leaving Beca.

Eventually, Macy takes a deep breath, trying to stabilize her nerves, before she unbuckles her seatbelt, and pushes open the car door. Beca quickly follows, telling Chloe that she won't be long, before joining Macy on the front lawn of the Applebaum's house.

The younger girl looks the house up and down, the very presence of the place making her heart race even more. The tan siding is a perfect contrast to the darker shudders, with two hanging plants dangling from the roof of the front porch. Their driveway is empty, but the doors of the two-car garage are open, revealing two, parked SUVs. The hedges around the walkway are perfectly trimmed, and Macy can't help but wonder how much time and commitment it takes to keep their yard looking so perfect.

Beca wraps her arm around her sister, pulling her into her side as Macy relaxes slightly at her touch. She rubs the side of Macy's arm, the cloth of her long-sleeved shirt bunching up as she does so. "How're you doing, Mace?"

Macy shrugs, feeling immense comfort from being in her sister's embrace. She could stay here for days.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Beca reaches up and runs her hand down the back of Macy's head, trying to get her to make eye contact so that she can truly see how her sister is feeling. "If you don't want to go anymore, we can always reschedule."

Slowly, Macy shakes her head. It's barely there, but the sentiment is still obvious. "No, I want to go."

"Okay." Beca takes her own peek at the house, almost certain that they're being watched from at least one of the windows. "Are you starting to get nervous again about spending the night here?"

This time, instead of shaking her head, Macy gives her a slight nod. They've been doing well all week; Beca has been talking to her about how she's not going anywhere, and Macy has slept in her own bed – for the entire night with minimal nightmares – since Wednesday. It may seem like a minor achievement to some, but to Macy (and, by default, Beca) who wants nothing more than to sleep over her friend's house, it's huge. She can do this.

Beca leans over, pressing a kiss into the top of her head. "You're going to do great, munch. I have my cell phone, you know that I'm going to be at Chloe's, and I will be here tomorrow morning to pick you back up. You're going to have an amazing time."

Macy sighs. It's now or never. "Okay. I'm ready."

Beca tries to hide her excitement, simply releasing Macy from her hold, and taking the girl's clammy hand instead. They walk side by side up the front walkway, stopping only when they reach the door and press the doorbell.

Both girls can hear the sound ring throughout the house, and while the opening of the door isn't as instantaneous as it was at the Beale's house, it does swing open moments later, revealing a very excited Benji.

"Macy! You made it!" The boy motions for them to come inside. He turns away from the door briefly, shouting into the house, "Mom! Dad! Macy's here!"

Much to Beca's relief, Macy's death grip on her hand seems to loosen, and she can almost feel some of the anxiety leave her body at the sight of her friend. "Hi, Benji."

According to Macy, Benji had been incredible in terms of receiving the news about her living situation. She had told Beca that he had apologized for her parents, and then basically moved on from the conversation altogether. It wasn't a big deal to Benji, which made Macy even more confident in her friendship, making Beca, in turn, satisfied as well.

Before either one of the seventh-graders has a chance to start an actual conversation, two adults come around the corner. The woman has a towel in her hand, clearly drying them after doing something in what Beca assumes is the kitchen. Her hair is the same color as Benji's, and she looks slightly older than what Beca would expect a parent of a twelve-year-old to look like. Soft wrinkles dot her face, but a kind smile still shines through. The man who accompanies her is also grinning – nearly identical to the one that is always plastered on his son's face. The striped sweater that he is wearing, is tucked neatly into his khakis, and Beca can't help but wonder if Benji's slight nerdiness was inherited.

"Macy! It is so wonderful to finally meet you. Benji has told us so much about you." The woman reaches them first, laying the towel over her shoulder and holding out her hand. "I'm Michelle, Benji's mom, and this is my husband, Patrick, Benji's father."

"It's nice to meet you." Macy tentatively takes each one of their hands, reminding Beca a lot of how she looks when they meet new foster parents. "Um…" Macy looks up at her sister before turning back to the Applebaum family. "This is my older sister, Beca."

Beca releases Macy's hand, instead shaking Michelle and Patrick's as her little sister just did. "Nice to meet you. Thank you so much for having her over."

As Beca greets Benji's parents, she tries her best to study their expressions and is slightly surprised by what she finds. Normally, an older sister dropping off her younger sister at a friend's house would draw looks of confusion – but there is nothing like that on Michelle and Patrick's faces. Instead, they almost seem to have been expecting it. She had figured that Benji would tell his parents, but Beca really isn't sure how much Macy told him in general, so whatever information they have, is a mystery to the older brunette.

Michelle looks fondly down at the two sisters, "Of course! She is welcome any time."

Patrick clears his throat, speaking for the first time since they've arrived. "Macy, I have a very important question for you."

Macy freezes, looking up at the older man with wide eyes. "O-okay?"

At her hesitation, Patrick's joking façade falters, but he recovers easily. "Do you like pizza?"

A wave of relief washes over the younger Mitchell sister, her smile returning. "Yes, pizza's great."

"Excellent!" He reaches behind his wife to high-five his giddy son, who has been watching this entire exchange with a wide grin on his face. "We were thinking about doing homemade pizzas for dinner, what do you think?"

Macy shrugs, slowly becoming more comfortable. "Sounds good to me."

"Macy, we have both you and Benji set up in sleeping bags down in the basement, will that be okay?"

Again, Macy nods as Beca swells with pride watching her sister interact with these people. "Sure."

"Wonderful." Michelle flashes that same, kind smile. "Oh! And, Beca, here is our home number and my cell, if for some reason you need to reach us."

She hands over a small scrap of paper, the phone numbers printed perfectly in blue ink. Beca takes it from Michelle's outstretched hand, folding it carefully before putting it in her back pocket, knowing full well that Macy is watching her every move. "Thank you so much. Can I give you mine?"

"Yes, please do!" Michelle hesitates for a moment, before motioning for Beca and Macy to follow her, "I have a pad of paper in the kitchen."

Confirming Beca's suspicions, the room that Michelle and Patrick came from, is the kitchen. Everyone in the front entry-way, Patrick and Benji included, follows Michelle back into the kitchen so that Beca can write down her phone number. The older woman bustles around for a moment, finding the pad of paper and a pen, while Beca takes in the wide array of pizza toppings that are already set up on one of the counters.

Her smile grows as she takes the paper from Benji's mom, thanking her before writing it down and handing it back to the woman. "Feel free to call me at any time. Macy knows that phone number, too, but if, for some reason, something happens…"

Michelle waves her off, "Everything is going to be fine. I'm sure the kids are going to have a great time."

Silence falls over the kitchen, with no one quite knowing what to do. Benji is trying his hardest not to rush the process, but all he wants to do is bring his friend downstairs and show her what he has planned for the night. His parents are waiting patiently, both of them seeing the obvious nerves coming from their son's new friend. Beca is watching her sister carefully, trying to figure out if Macy is comfortable enough to leave, and Macy herself is trying to wrap her mind around the same thing.

Luckily, after what feels like an eternity, Beca is the one to break the lull in conversation. She lays her hand on top of Macy's head, tilting it slightly so the girl has to look up at her. "What do you say, kid? You ready for me to head out?"

It takes another moment, but Macy eventually convinces herself to nod. She wraps her arms around Beca's waist, holding on to her tightly. She knows that Beca has to leave eventually, but she also was hoping that she was going to stay a little longer. Macy grips the back of Beca's shirt, inhaling deeply as her sister holds her close, never once threatening to let go. After a few minutes, under the watchful eyes of the Applebaum's, she pulls away, looking up at her sister.

Beca squeezes her sister's shoulder slightly. "I'll see you in the morning, okay? Call me if you need anything."

"I will. I promise." Macy seems to force a small smile onto her face, her throat starting to tighten. She pushes the emotions away, instead settling for an, "I love you."

Beca doesn't hesitate to answer. "I love you too. Have fun."

Instead of gathering her older sister in another hug like she wants to, Macy braves the ultimate challenge in front of her, and simply waves, before following an anxiously awaiting Benji down the stairs to the basement, leaving Beca in the kitchen with Michelle and Patrick.

She watches fondly as Macy leaves the room, before turning to face the adults. While she's incredibly proud of the way Macy handled herself, what with no tears and a rather short goodbye, she can't help but feel like she owes them some sort of explanation. After all, they have been watching this entire exchange. "This is her first time going to a sleepover. She's just a little more anxious than normal."

Michelle nods an understanding. "Benji told us she might be a little nervous. I guess she doesn't spend much time away from you?"

The day that Benji met Macy, he had come home practically jumping up and down telling them about his new friend. At first, he didn't know much about the brunette, and so, neither did his parents. But as the days of them hanging out continued, Benji came back home each day with new facts and information about the girl who had started making him excited to go to school.

It was only a few days ago that Benji had come home and told them that Macy's parents died when she was younger. Initially, both Michelle and her husband had assumed that meant that Macy lived with her grandparents or some other relative, but Benji was quick to correct them and said, instead, that she and her sister were in the foster care system. He didn't give them much more information; simply telling his parents that Macy is incredibly close to her older sister, who also goes to Barden, and that he thought she was nervous about spending the night because that would mean not being with her.

A small snort escapes Beca's mouth as she gathers her loose curls into one hand, laying them over her shoulder. "No, not really."

Patrick meets the teen's eyes, "Benji told us about your parents. I can't even imagine how difficult that's been on you and Macy."

Beca shifts uneasily, pleasantly surprised that he doesn't give her the same 'I'm sorry' response that most people do, but also not entirely comfortable with where this conversation is going. "It hasn't been the easiest, but it is what it is."

"Well, you've clearly done an amazing job raising your sister. Benji can't stop raving about her. Every day he comes home from school, and it's 'Macy this' and 'Macy that'." Michelle turns to her husband, laughing slightly. "We're really glad that he finally found a good friend. Kids can be so cruel."

"Oh, um… thank you." Without having Macy to focus on anymore, Beca's own nerves come back in full swing. "Benji is great, too. Macy's never been one to have that many friends, so…"

Benji's father takes back over for his wife, knowing just how happy she was when Benji came home after actually having a good day at school. "It looks like they were meant to find each other, then."

Noticing the teen going quiet once more, Michelle takes her own turn. As admirable as it is that Beca plays such a parental role in Macy's life, she can understand why a seventeen-year-old would be so uncomfortable in this sort of situation. "Is there anything we can do to make tonight easier on Macy?"

The question surprises Beca. The entire time leading up to this weekend, she has been preparing Macy, when, apparently, Benji's parents are willing to help, too. She mulls over a possible response in her head, wanting to give them some information, but also not wanting to violate Macy's privacy. "She doesn't have a cell phone, so she may or may not ask to borrow yours. She made a comment about wanting to call and say goodnight, and things like that. Is that okay?"

"Of course, we'll let her know when she comes up for dinner. Would you like us to bring her home tomorrow?"

Beca shakes her head, not wanting to change any plans that she and Macy have already made. "Oh, no that's okay. What time should I pick her up?"

Michelle looks to her husband for confirmation before saying, "Does eleven-thirty work?"

"I'll be there." Beca offers the parents another smile, "Thank you again for letting her come over tonight. I'm sure they'll have a blast."

The trio starts to make their way towards the door, Beca mildly proud of herself for finding a natural way to end their visit. "Yes, they definitely will. Feel free to call if you need anything or if you just want to check in."

After a few more pleasantries are exchanged, along with Michelle promising to call Beca if something comes up, Beca is able to leave the Applebaum house, walking quickly back to Chloe's car before she can change her mind.

She slides back into the passenger seat with a sigh, the redhead watching her carefully. "How'd it go?"

Beca shrugs as Chloe pulls away from the house, starting on the drive back to her own neighborhood. She told Chloe a little about Macy's nerves for the sleepover the other day. "Not as bad as I thought it was going to go."

"That's good." Chloe pauses for a second, glancing briefly at her brunette friend, before starting again. "You're really great with her. It's amazing how much she trusts you and looks up to you."

The corner of Beca's mouth turns up slightly, her mind already wandering to think about her little sister. She had been so focused on making sure Macy was alright, that her own nerves are only just now starting to appear. She knows Macy will be fine, especially with people as kind as Michelle and Patrick watching over her, but it still feels like a piece of her is missing. "She's a good kid."

Chloe's expression softens, her blue orbs riddled with a sadness that has become more and more present since her and Beca's conversation last Monday. She can't even imagine everything that Beca and her sister have gone through, and even though they haven't known each other for a while, Chloe wishes that she could take all of their – very obvious – pain away. "Well, she has you to thank for that."

By the time Beca and Chloe get to the Beale house – which is another twenty minutes away from Benji's – Aubrey and Stacie are already upstairs in Chloe's bedroom. Both girls had been very excited about the prospect of a sleepover and instantly agreed to show up at Chloe's house early Saturday evening. What neither one of them was expecting, though, was to show up before both Beca and Chloe.

Chloe told the girls before the day of the slumber party that she was going to be picking up Beca. Since the football game, both of her friends had become incredibly wary of the brunette, especially after seeing how upset Chloe had been following Beca's departure, and again Monday morning. Chloe, of course, insisted that nothing was wrong, and tried her best to deflect any questions about Beca, but both girls were persistent in their own ways. After a couple of days, the questions did start to lessen, and now, Chloe is hoping that the sleepover will allow them to start seeing Beca as a friend, rather than the enigma that all three of them – Chloe included – had previously been seeing her as.

After about an hour of lounging around and eating the pizza that Lisa Beale had ordered for the girls, Stacie tosses her crust into the now-empty box, stretching out on the floor of Chloe's bedroom. "Can we just stay here forever, please?"

Chloe smirks at her friend, glad that they are returning to the state of normalcy that they've always had when hanging out. Naturally, she was a little nervous about inviting both Stacie and Aubrey to spend the night, as well as Beca. Having all three of them over for the project was one thing, but four girls staying up late together always leads to a greater state of vulnerability for all parties involved. So far, though, she has yet to have her fears validated. "Stace, you are welcome to sleep on my floor for as long as you'd like."

Aubrey, too, finishes her piece of pizza and wipes her hands on the napkin. "I think you might get sick of her, Chlo. Don't you remember when we went on that vacation to South Carolina? You two wanted to kill each other."

All three of the girls smile fondly at the memory. More often than not, Stacie and Aubrey are invited on the Beale Family Vacations because of how much older Chloe's brothers are than her. This one particular year, they were spending the week at a beach house in South Carolina, with the girls sharing a particularly small bedroom. Chloe hadn't just wanted to kill Stacie – Aubrey was a close second. She loves the girls, but they definitely need their own space. Stacie never cleaned up her clothes and Aubrey would get cranky if they stayed up too late… needless to say, Chloe was happy – and slightly relieved – when the vacation was over.

Stacie doesn't even react to Aubrey's jab, simply stating, "Well, both of you are going to have to get used to it for next year."

Beca, who has just been observing the conversation, furrows her eyebrows. "What's next year?"

Chloe rolls her eyes at Stacie and Aubrey before turning to Beca, almost wishing they hadn't traveled down this line of conversation. "The plan is for us to apply to Barden University, and if we get in –"

" – When we get in," Aubrey cuts her off.

"Sorry, when we get in, we're going to dorm together." As much as she loves her friends, she still isn't sure if it's the best of ideas. But, if it's what the girls want, Chloe will do it.

A twinge of pain tugs at Beca's chest at the mention of the school's name, the same way it did when Meghan told them about the high school she would be attending once they were at Jack's. "That's cool."

Stacie rolls over on her side, this time addressing Beca. "Have you seen the campus? I know you said you lived on the other side of the city, but it's kind of tucked away."

Starting to twist her bracelets around her wrist, Beca nods. "A couple of times. My dad was a professor there." She was younger, and can't tell you a thing about it, but her mom used to take her and Macy up to the campus every once in a while, to see their father. They actually lived an hour away from Barden, so they didn't go very often, but Warren always raved about it.

This time, it's Aubrey that perks up, not noticing Beca's use of the word 'was' in her previous statement. "Really? What does he teach?"

Beca smiles fondly to herself before looking up at the blonde. "Comparative literature." Growing up, she rarely saw her father without a book. He instilled that love of reading in Beca, and later in Macy. For a while, after the accident, reading from whatever book they could get their hands on, was the only way to calm Macy down. Even now, it's obvious that Macy still uses reading as a way to be close to their father. Beca still reads occasionally, and she can definitely hold her own in discussions about pieces of literature, but she is nowhere near as fervent as her sister is.

Chloe watches as Beca speaks about her father, never once correcting Aubrey for her use of the present tense. She knows it can't be easy to talk about, and she's about to change the subject before Stacie jumps back in.

"So that's why you're so smart."

Beca laughs softly, stretching out her legs and leaning up against the wall. This isn't the first time Stacie has accused her of the same thing, and Beca always tries so hard to brush them off, but nothing ever seems to work. "I'm really not."

Stacie gives her an incredulous look, "Would you like to tell them what you got on the pop quiz in physics on Wednesday?"

Beca rolls her eyes, "It's not a big deal."

Chloe, watching with a giant grin on her face as her two friends joke around together, joins in on the fun. "Oh, come on, what did you get?"

When Beca doesn't immediately answer, Stacie doesn't have a problem doing it herself. "She got a 98. Who gets a 98 on a physics pop quiz?"

Aubrey nods slowly, "I'm impressed." She's still not Beca's biggest fan, especially because she knows something happened last weekend at the football game, but she also doesn't want to cause a stink about it. Especially when Chloe has been so adamant about playing nice.

Beca waves her off as Chloe agrees. "Me too. And it's not like Mr. Kennedy is an easy teacher."

The blush slowly creeps into Beca's cheeks, never being one to take compliments well. She doesn't have long to feel embarrassed, though, because Stacie asks her another question. "Do you know what you want to study in college?"

Not wanting to get into a discussion about colleges, applications, and everything else that high school seniors are obsessed with during this time of year, Beca settles on the truth, rephrasing it slightly. "I actually think I'm going to take a year or two off."

Things would have been astronomically different had her parents not died, Beca knows that for sure. She was only ten at the time, so it's not like she had really developed any sort of interest or anything that could later be translated into a degree. The only thing that remotely fits that category, is the fact that Beca has an eerily good talent for music.

If her father was the academic of the family, her mother was the artist. She worked as a music journalist at a small publishing company and would always have music playing whenever she was in the house. Her daughters were only allowed to listen to what she deemed was good music – there were no Kidz Bop or nursery rhymes for her kids. Both Macy and Beca were listening to the classics, as well as Indie bands that her mom came across, before they were even born.

As Beca got older, she took over her mother's love of music as her own. When she was old enough to use the computer, she would spend hours listening to a wide variety of songs and albums – whether it be pop, rock, jazz, blues, classical; quite literally anything she could get her hands on. She absorbed all of it, and when she started singing along, Amelia Mitchell was almost certain that her daughter had a gift. Then, when she signed Beca up for piano lessons, any doubt that Amelia and Warren had about that possibility, disappeared. It wasn't that she was some sort of piano prodigy, but rather, she played the piano with every ounce of her being. She became the music, and the way she listened to the notes – and even the way she listened to music in general – was unlike anything either of her parents had ever seen.

Beca had been taking piano lessons for almost five years when her parents died, and with them, so did her passion for music. While she still hums along to a song on the radio and even occasionally shares her opinion on some of the things she hears, Beca has yet to touch a piano or sing since they passed.

She tried once. Two years after the accident, they were in a foster home that had a piano. Beca had sat down at the bench and even rested her fingers on the keys, but all she could see were her parents beaming with pride. It hurt too much to know that they would never listen to her play again, and, quite frankly, she didn't want anyone else to hear if they couldn't.

That being said, she had once thought that she might be able to do something with music when she was older – her parents definitely agreed. But, now, even if she didn't have Macy to take care of, it's a moot point.

Chloe watches Beca carefully as she reveals her plans for the future. In her hours of research the week before (and, okay, let's be honest, she's done a little bit more over the last week as well), she read that kids who aren't adopted before they turn eighteen 'age out' of the system. Seeing how Beca is still moving around from different placements, Chloe knows that she hasn't been adopted, but she can't help but wonder what that means for Macy. She can't ask that right now, though, so she stays quiet.

Aubrey, on the other hand, looks downright appalled. "What do you mean? Are you taking a gap year or something?"

Beca smirks. Of course, the only reason that Aubrey would consider her taking time off from school would be to do something like intern or travel the world. "Um, no, I'll be working. I need to save up some money before I even consider college."

"Wouldn't you be able to get free tuition or something if you went to Barden? You know, because your dad works there?"

Beca hesitates, not having thought through the conversation to this point. Apparently, Chloe must sense that she's struggling, because she interrupts before Beca can say anything. "I think a gap year is cool. There's nothing wrong with having an extra bit of spending money."

Beca smiles at Chloe gratefully, and the redhead returns it quickly, her blue eyes sparkling with the fact that she was able to help Beca.

"I guess." Aubrey shrugs, "I can't imagine not going to college, though. I am so ready to get out of here."

Stacie rolls her eyes. "It's not like Barden is that far… you really aren't going anywhere."

"You know what I mean," Aubrey practically glares at her, "High school. Away from the same kids we've been around since kindergarten. The teachers. Classes that we hate. It's all a waste of time."

For once, Beca can't help but agree with her.

Following their dinner, Chloe led her friends downstairs to their basement where she's already set up blow-up mattresses on the ground in front of the television. Her brothers used to spend all of their free time in this space – their video games and equipment are enough evidence of that – but once they moved out, Chloe started to take it over. Slowly but surely, pictures of her and the girls have started to pop up on the various counters. Her favorite movies are at the front of all the shelves, and the majority of her extra blankets and pillows stay down here tucked in the corner for the times that Stacie and Aubrey decided to have a spontaneous sleepover.

Tonight, because of the fact the slumber party was planned in advance, those blankets and pillows are already perfectly arranged on the blow-up mattresses, and it doesn't take long for the girls to bury themselves underneath them.

Chloe can't be more thrilled with how the night is going. Beca seems to actually be enjoying herself. She's been joking around with all three of the other girls, and there's an air of relaxation and comfort about her that Chloe hasn't seen at school. Stacie and Aubrey, too, are acting like they normally do while at Chloe's, which the redhead is happy about. She was nervous that they were either going to be apprehensive about letting Beca in on their typical sleepover traditions, or they were going to be territorial. Neither of those things seem to be happening, though, so the redhead has simply been allowing herself to enjoy the night, too.

After a thrilling game of Just Dance (which Chloe had forced Beca to participate in, much to the brunette's dismay), and a long period of time where the girls had sat around scrolling mindlessly through social media, taking turns showing the group random photos (with Beca looking at Chloe's phone with her), the night slowly turns to morning. All four girls have long grown comfortable on the air mattresses, lost underneath a sea of blankets, as The Notebook plays lightly in the background.

Beca is struggling to keep her eyes open, what with it being almost two in the morning and the boring movie, but there's something about the way that Chloe is staring so intently at the television screen, that makes her want to stay up. Stacie has been switching her attention from the movie to her phone for the last hour, and, next to her, Aubrey is already sleeping lightly.

Chloe leans closer to Beca, which isn't that hard considering they're on the same mattress and sharing the same blanket (it's big enough for two!, Chloe had told her). She lowers her voice to a whisper, "Do you like the movie?"

Beca, too, whispers in response, "Would you believe it if I told you I don't really like any movies?"

The redhead's jaw drops. On the other side of the room, Stacie pretends not to be watching them, smiling to herself at how blatantly obvious the pair is being. "How can you not like any movies?"

Beca shrugs, grinning because it's the same question she gets every time she discloses her hatred of films. Even in the darkness of the basement, Chloe's eyes are just as piercing as ever, her red curls pulled up in a bun on top of her head. All four girls had gotten into their pajamas hours ago, but there's something about Chloe's perfectly matching pajama set that makes Beca laugh. "The endings are predictable; the plot lines are boring… why would someone willingly spend two hours watching something like that?"

Chloe turns her body so that she is fully facing the brunette, her mouth still agape. "Movies are not boring. Especially ones like these! The Notebook is a classic! It's romantic, and tragic, and," she groans, "How can you not love it?"

"The guy at the beginning of the movie was Noah, right? And the lady is Allie?" Beca deadpans, proud of herself for remembering their names.

Chloe glares, trying her best not to show Beca that she's right. "I'm not telling. You're going to have to watch to find out." She crosses her arms and shifts back to her position leaning up against the couch, her mouth settling in a pout.

Beca is about to turn back to the movie, fully committed to finishing it, when her phone starts buzzing from underneath her. She's been wondering how long it was going to take for Macy to call; she hasn't received any other communication from the Applebaum's or her sister tonight and is simply pleased that Macy is feeling comfortable enough to actually enjoy her time with Benji. Although, she is really hoping that Macy didn't wake up Michelle and Patrick this late just so that she can say goodnight.

Beca turns to Chloe, lifting up the phone from mattress beside them and glancing briefly at the unknown number flashing on the screen. She grins. "Saved by the bell."

Chloe rolls her eyes, reaching for the remote and pausing the movie as Beca brings the phone to her ear.

"Hey, munch! You and Benji finally heading to bed?"

There's silence on the other end of the line as Beca uses her free hand to play with one of the threads of the blanket, absent-mindedly waiting for a response. Her mind snaps awake, though, when it's a male voice on the other end. "Beca? This is Patrick, Benji's father."

Beca sits straight up, eyes widening and heart pounding with fear, no longer being able to keep her voice at a whisper for the sake of the others in the room. "Patrick? Is everything okay?"

"Well…" at his hesitation, Beca starts to push the blankets off of her and onto a very startled Chloe. As soon as Beca is standing, Chloe is too, clearly sensing something is off with the brunette. "We aren't really sure what happened."

Beca brings a hand through her hair, gathering some of it in a fist on top of her hair and pulling at her roots. "What are you talking about? Is she okay?"

Chloe wraps her arms around her own torso, watching the brunette carefully, and now fully aware that the phone call must have something to do with Macy.

"The night was great. The kids seemed to be having an amazing time; we ate dinner, they played a game, and watched a movie… they went to bed around eleven, and about ten minutes ago Macy woke up and seemed to be having a nightmare of sorts."

Beca hangs her head, instantly running through every possible thing that could have gone wrong. There's nothing about this situation that can end well. "Where is she? Can I talk to her?"

Patrick looks over to where his wife is sitting on the ground in front of Macy, the girl looking even smaller as she holds her knees tight against her chest, rocking slightly and staring off in the space in front of her. "She's still downstairs in the basement. Michelle and I are down here with them… by the time we got down there, she was crying – a lot – and she seemed to be having trouble breathing. She was looking for you and it was almost as if she couldn't remember where she was, if that makes sense?"

Beca keeps the phone pressed tightly against her ear while trying to avoid Chloe's worried – and confused – expression. "Okay. What is she doing now?"

"She stopped crying, but now she's sort of frozen? She won't let anyone touch her and she isn't talking anymore. It's almost as if she's become numb to the whole thing?"

The panic in Beca's chest tightens, the brunette suddenly springing into action. She moves across the basement, trying to gather her few belongings into her bag, biting back a string of curses as she stubs her toe against one of Chloe's end tables. She digs her teeth into her bottom lip, fighting back tears, as she manages, "Can you put her on the phone, please?"

There's some rustling on the other end as Patrick walks back over to where his wife and son are sitting with the young brunette. Benji is sitting as close to Macy as his mother is allowing him too, looking worriedly between his parents and his friend, and wishing more than anything that he knew what to do. When Macy started having her nightmare, he woke up almost instantly from the strange noise. He thought he did a good thing by going to get his parents, but as soon as they came downstairs and helped to wake the girl, Macy just seemed to get worse.

Patrick pushes a few buttons on his phone, before holding it in between Macy and Michelle. "You're on speaker, Beca. Macy is right here."

Not even caring if Stacie and Aubrey hear, Beca quickly collects herself. While Macy has panic attacks quite frequently – especially after the events of the last few months – they seldom get to the stage that Patrick had been describing to her. The stage where she gets so far inside her head that it takes a good amount of time to pull her out. "Mace? Kiddo, can you hear me?"

At the Applebaum house, Macy doesn't move. She doesn't even flinch at the sound of her sister's voice.

"Macy?" Beca briefly pauses her packing, trying her best to figure out what she can do from so far away. "Macy, it's Beca."

Michelle listens carefully to the seventeen-year-old on the phone, thoroughly impressed by how calm she seems, but devastated as it doesn't seem to have any effect on the terrified girl in front of her.

When there's still no response, Beca quickly makes up her mind, not worrying about the details at the moment. "Mace, I'm going to be there as soon as I can, okay? Just hang in there for me, okay, munch?"

Patrick pulls the phone away from Macy but keeping it on speaker so Michelle can hear. "Is there anything that we can do here to help, Beca? I'd hate to have you come out here this late…"

"No, it's fine… I'll get there as fast as I can." Beca zips up her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder. She'll have to call a cab – are cabs even running this late? – and figure out some way to pay the driver with money she doesn't have. "Please just don't leave her alone."

"Of course not. I'll have the front door unlocked for you. Come right in when you get here."

"Okay. Thank you. I'll be there soon."

Not waiting for an answer, Beca ends the call, immediately switching to a different app to find the number of the cab company.

Chloe quickly approaches the worried brunette, laying her hand gently on Beca's wrist. "What's going on? Is Macy okay?"

Beca pulls away, placing the phone up against her ear again as it rings. "I have to go pick her up."

Chloe doesn't hesitate, trying to meet Beca's frantic gaze. "Okay. I'll bring you."

Shaking her head, Beca ends the call with the current cab company after no one answers. As she searches for another one, she says, "No. It's fine. I'll take a cab."

"Bec – it's two in the morning. You're not going to be able to get a cab. Especially not when you need to leave now."

If Beca had been in a normal state of mind, she might have picked up on the fact that Chloe had referred to her by a nickname that only a few select people tend to use. But, of course, Beca isn't in a normal state of mind, so it goes unnoticed by her as she hangs up on the second cab company, tears starting to swell in her eyes – this time from emotion rather than pain. "Are you sure?"

Chloe nods, "Of course. I'll meet you upstairs." As Beca starts to walk up the stairs without any further persuasion necessary, Chloe returns to the couch to grab her phone, finally realizing that Stacie has been watching her every move. Not surprisingly, Aubrey is still asleep on the floor – that girl can sleep through the apocalypse – but the taller brunette is waiting for an explanation. "I'll be back."

"Chlo, it's two in the morning."

The redhead shrugs, refusing to get into this right now. Not when Beca and Macy need her help. "Yeah? And? I'll be right back."

Stacie slowly shakes her head but doesn't have a chance to say anything, because Chloe quickly follows Beca's path.

Beca is already waiting by Chloe's car by the time she leaves her house, shooting her mom a quick text to let her know where she is if she wakes up. Beca is pacing back and forth, tapping her phone against the palm of her hand, and looks relieved as soon as Chloe unlocks her car door. Both of them jump into the car rather quickly, Chloe not wasting any time to back out of the driveway and start on the drive back to the Applebaum's house.

No one talks for a minute, but with Beca's leg bouncing up and down and her hands becoming very occupied with the bracelets on her wrist, Chloe feels as though she has to at least try and get the girl to calm down before they reach their destination. She has no idea what has happened, but perhaps talking about it will help Beca. "Is Macy okay?"

Beca keeps her concentration on the passing trees and dark houses, her leg still vibrating from the nerves. She's not sure if she wasn't willing to tell Chloe what is going on when they were at her house because of Stacie and Aubrey, but suddenly, when Chloe asks for a second time, she can't think of a reason not to answer truthfully. "She had a nightmare."

"Does that happen often?" Chloe keeps her focus on the road, not wanting to risk hitting an animal or something in pursuit of their destination.

The brunette nods. "More often than not. But I'm normally there to get her out of it." She shakes her head in disbelief, laughing more at herself than at the situation. "And this time, it's my fault that she was alone."

Chloe chances it, glancing briefly over at Beca, who runs an exhausted hand over her face. "What do you mean?"

Before she has can stop herself, the words start slipping from her mouth. "I pressured her into going to this stupid sleepover before she was ready. She was doing better and I thought she'd be fine, and now this happens and she's going to be ten times worse than she already was."

It takes everything in Chloe not to pull the car over and wrap her arms around Beca at how broken she sounds. "This is not your fault, Beca. You're such a good sister. Macy is lucky to have you."

Beca almost scoffs at how inaccurate Chloe's statement is. She has no idea how much of 'this' is her fault.

She angrily wipes away a tear that has managed to slip down her cheek. Her sister deserved to have this one night. This one night where she could be a so-called 'normal' kid. She should've been able to eat pizza and watch movies and play games with her friend and her friend's family. She should've been able to sleep through the night lying next to said friend, without having to be worried about what would happen once she closed her eyes. It's absolutely ridiculous that that is so hard for her to achieve.

Chloe makes it to Benji's house in record time, pulling into the driveway and stopping only once they are right next to the front walkway. Beca exits the car before Chloe even turns it off, quickly making her way to the front door. Chloe hesitates, trying to decide whether or not to follow, before she does it anyway. She isn't sure if she'll be any help, but she wants someone to be there that Beca trusts, just in case something happens.

Well aware that Chloe is following her, and not really caring either, Beca enters the Applebaum house without any hesitation. She approaches the door that Macy and Benji had disappeared through about twelve hours earlier, before slipping through the small opening. Using the railing for stabilization, she makes her way down the stairs – Chloe close behind her – until she's in the basement.

None of the members of the Applebaum family have moved from the positions they were in when Patrick called Beca. Benji is still sitting on the couch above where Macy is sitting on the floor, Patrick is off to the side, and Michelle is kneeling in front of the girl, her eyes very rarely leaving Macy.

Patrick is the first one to notice Beca and Chloe when they enter the basement. He offers them a tired smile, not surprised that they're both dressed in pajamas and wearing their own tired expressions. Neither Beca nor Chloe returns the greeting though, with Beca completely in 'Macy-mode' and Chloe looking worriedly in the direction of her friend's little sister.

Beca cautiously approaches the area that the Applebaum family is surrounding, knowing full well that her sister is somewhere in that mix. Her assumption is confirmed when Michelle stands from her seat, moving to join Benji on the couch and leaving room for Beca to slide in.

The brunette's heart breaks at the sight of her sister, curled up so tightly that she looks to be about five rather than twelve. Her hair is still braided in the same French braids that Beca did for her on Saturday morning, now though, they're drenched in sweat. Like Patrick had described, Macy seems numb to the entire situation – her face is blank, with tear marks drying on her cheeks. Her chin is perched on her knees, where her arms are wrapped around the bottom portion of her legs, holding them close to her body.

Beca carefully takes a seat in front of her, sitting closer than Michelle was, but not directly on top of her. All of the other people in the room seem to melt away from her awareness, leaving just Macy for her to focus on.

"Hey, Macy…" Beca starts off quietly, trying her best to call her attention from deep inside whatever rabbit hole she's gotten herself trapped in. "It's Beca, kiddo… can you hear me?"

When she doesn't get a response, much like she didn't while she was on the phone with Patrick, Beca lays a tentative hand on her sister's knee, not entirely shocked when she doesn't move away. "I'm here, munch." Beca stays like that for a moment, sitting silently as she rubs Macy's knee through her pajama pants. She doesn't say anything, simply searching her face for any sort of recognition. "Come on, Mace… I'm right here."

After a few more minutes of sitting like this – everyone else in the Applebaum's basement waiting with bated breath – Macy's grip seems to loosen around her legs. Her rocking stills, and after blinking once, and then twice, she slowly turns her face to look at her sister.

Beca lets out a relieved laugh, trying to keep her own tears at bay as she moves her hand up to Macy's head, before running it tenderly down the side of her face. "Hi, munch."

Macy's expressionless façade quickly crumbles, her eyes filling with tears before sobs overcome her entire body. Already expecting it to happen, Beca gathers her sister in her arms, holding her as close to her chest as possible, rubbing circles on her back and whispering words of comfort as she completely breaks down in Beca's embrace.

After what feels like an eternity of Beca holding Macy, the two of them lost in their own little world – although both under the watchful gazes of the Applebaum's and Chloe – Macy looks up at her sister with bloodshot and tear-filled eyes. "You came back."

Beca uses the pad of her thumb to wipe some of the remaining tears off of Macy's cheek, pressing a kiss into her forehead to hide the fact that her eyes, too, are starting to swell with tears. "Of course, I did, kiddo. I told you I wasn't going anywhere."

Macy hiccups slightly, still trying to control her breathing after the sobbing. "I couldn't find you… you weren't here."

The older brunette wraps her arms tighter around her sister, "I know, Mace. I know…" After another few minutes, she plants another kiss on her head, not wanting to move her too fast, but also being aware that they are in the wee hours of the morning and that everyone – including the Mitchell sisters – need sleep. "Munch, what do you say we move this party to the car, yeah? We'll go home and sleep in our own beds?"

Macy looks up once more, this time with horror written all over her face. She finally glances around at the other people in the room as if forgetting that they were there. Her eyes land on Benji and Michelle, her bottom lip starting to tremble. "I'm so sorry, I –"

"Oh, sweetheart, you don't have to apologize." Michelle cuts her off, not even waiting to let her finish. The younger girl sniffles, her head bobbing up and down in a nod, but the tears streaming down her face indicate that she doesn't necessarily know if that's true. "Hey, no more tears, okay? You can come over another time. You are welcome whenever you want."

Beca shoots her a small, yet obviously grateful, smile, before turning back to her sister. "See, Mace? It's all good." Macy still doesn't look convinced, leaning all of her weight into Beca's chest. "Do you think you can make it to the car, kiddo?"

Another brief moment passes, before Macy, just barely, nods. Beca, taking her cue, slowly helps her sister stand. She stumbles, undoubtedly from dehydration and exhaustion, and clings to Beca's grip to steady herself. The older Mitchell sister takes her own time to stand, Macy not hesitating to move back into her side when she does.

Beca wraps her arm around Macy, holding her close as she finally takes in the rest of the room. Benji looks like he's about to cry, while Patrick and Michelle both look relieved. Chloe is still standing further away from the group, tears swimming in her own eyes, and waiting to see what she can do to help. Beca can't help but feel like her presence has given her an extra level of comfort when all she could do was take care of Macy.

Chloe chokes back tears as she takes in the broken expressions of the Mitchell girls. Macy is practically cowering against Beca's leg, and Beca looks so exhausted that she could've been awake for weeks. Yet, she's a strong and steady force for her younger sister, never once hesitating to sacrifice her own needs for the needs of the younger girl.

As they start walking back toward the stairs, Macy's steps shaky and unsure, Chloe moves out of the way, spotting Macy's bag in the corner. The redhead quickly gathers Macy's things before following the pair, with the Applebaum's close behind her.

When they reach the front door, Beca looks briefly behind them, her arm wrapped firmly around her sister – who is starting to struggle to hold herself up with the aftermath of tonight's events – to face the Applebaum's. She takes one look at Benji's face, the kid's downtrodden expression reminding her too much of her sister's. "Hey, Benji, thanks for taking care of Macy for me."

Benji nods, his mom's hands on his shoulders. "Of course. She's my best friend."

Beca musters a small smile, knowing that if Macy was focused, she would be saying the same thing. She turns to address his parents. "And thank you, for calling me. And for keeping her safe."

Both Michelle and Patrick wave her off, "Of course, Beca. We hope you feel better, Macy." Macy has returned to a slight daze, but both Benji's mom and dad know that their sentiments are accepted by the young girl and her sister.

After bidding the Applebaum's goodnight, Chloe helps Beca and Macy out of the house and into the car. She opens the back door for the brunettes, watching as Beca guides her into the seat, but Macy keeps a firm grasp on her sister. Beca, without much of a choice, slides in beside her, wrapping her arm around her shoulders and pressing another kiss into Macy's forehead.

Chloe stands with one hand on her door, peering into the car, and addressing Macy for the first time since their arrival. "You ready to go home, sweetie?"

Much to everyone's surprised, Macy nods sleepily, her gaze falling to the ground of the car while Beca looks up to the redhead. Her navy blue orbs meet Chloe's much lighter – but still shining – ones, and a small smile appears on her face.

Even in the darkness of the night, Chloe can see the brunette mouth, Thank you.

See you Sunday :)