When Stacie finally came up for air and returned to the Barden campus on Sunday night – she had tried to cajole Aubrey into letting her stay another night but Aubrey had remembered that Stacie had an early Monday morning class, that bitch – she was met with the expectant look of nine girls.

Well, expectant was putting it mildly. With the exception of Beca, who just looked relieved to see her alive, in one piece, and none the worse for wear, the rest of the Barden Bellas looked ready to start a Homeland Security-level interrogation of Stacie's whereabouts the previous two days. Which Stacie knew was warranted, and that her friends were only concerned, but the truth of the matter was she wasn't ready to talk about it. The only person she trusted to understand was Aubrey, and even they had their own confusions about what was going on between them; Stacie knew that trying to explain to anyone, even her best friends, was just going to aggravate the already delicate situation.

But she'd gotten careless, too caught up in the surprise of seeing Aubrey, and she hadn't thought to set up any alibis. After all, she'd gone out with her lab partner, and they had been in a group of five people, not to mention the dozens of other groups included in the scavenger hunt, or the after-party, it shouldn't have been too hard to find someone – or several someones, options were awesome – to take a few photos with her.

She blamed Aubrey, honestly.

It didn't help that the most intense scrutiny seemed to be coming from Chloe. Which wasn't a surprise, since they slept less than five feet away from each other, and shared a bath room, and if anyone in the house were to know what was going on with Stacie…

It would be Lilly. Lilly, who was like a 00 agent, or at least a Level 9, but after Lilly was definitely Chloe.

Dilemma: play innocent, or try and use the time-tested formula of making everyone uncomfortable about her sexual escapades?

Playing innocent was a catch-22, because she could feign cluelessness on why her friends were curious and concerned, but if any one of them gave a good enough reason, she could be forced to cough up details about her rare overnight stay with a hookup. And she was a little afraid of what might come out of her mouth if she had to talk about what was going on with her.

Making them uncomfortable was a risk, because both Chloe and Fat Amy weren't easily bothered by over-sharing details. And just like the faux-innocent ruse, if she made the mistake in how she told her story, any of her friends could pick up on it and examine the situation closely.

Just as Stacie was about to open her mouth to nonchalantly ask what was going on, Beca's phone rang, and the girl glanced at it, her face scrunching up in confusion. "Why is Aubrey calling me?"

Oh my God. Stacie had the best girlf- phone friend-with-benefits. Clearly having correctly calculated Stacie's estimated time of arrival at Barden campus and even more correctly ascertaining the Barden Bellas' curiosity as to Stacie's whereabouts for the past two nights, Aubrey had timed her call to Beca.

Beca turned to Chloe, who looked away guiltily, and Stacie realized with a start that while she kept forgetting to inform Aubrey about Chloe's continued stay in Barden University, she hadn't stopped to consider that Chloe had been neglecting to inform Aubrey about it, as well. And possibly on purpose.

The Barden Bellas all stared at the phone in Beca's hand, still ringing, and Stacie felt bad that this was the amount of trepidation her friends felt at the very prospect of Aubrey calling, and they didn't even know what she was calling about. Maybe Aubrey had a point, about how the Bellas would have felt if she'd tried too hard to stay in the circle after she'd graduated.

"Are you gonna answer that?" Denise finally asked.

Denise didn't count because she was getting her degree in Social Work, it was like her job to be nice, and to be concerned about everybody.

Beca picked up her phone, and hesitantly answered Aubrey's call. "Aubrey?" She sat up abruptly, and glanced around her, alarmed, as if looking to see if Aubrey was looking over her shoulder. "I don't know!" She turned to the rest of the Bellas and hissed, "Since when has there been a World Championships of A cappella?"

Was that even a real thing? Or was Aubrey making up things to bother Beca about, now?

But whatever her reasons, Aubrey had succeeded in distracting Stacie's friends from their original intent of inquiring after Stacie's nocturnal habits. They just had to be more careful next time.

Maybe next next time.

It was kind of hard to be concerned about discretion when they were in a college town like Atlanta where nobody seemed to blink at the fact that she and Aubrey held hands as they walked down the street towards a restaurant that had recently opened and Aubrey wanted to try out.

"Is there even really a World Championships for A cappella?" Stacie asked, because ever since Sunday night, everyone had been frenetically looking it up where they could.

Aubrey laughed. "Surprisingly, yes, it's not just something I came up with on my own. There's a website, you know."

"Well, registration was closed, so I figured you could have had someone set up a fake website for you to teach Beca a lesson."

Aubrey's brow knit in confusion. "You know I suck at technology."

"You could have gotten help. You and IT guy on Friday night looked pretty friendly."

Aubrey shot her a look. "I mentioned Dave's gay, right?"

"You danced with him."

"Because he's a good dancer. And gay." Aubrey frowned. "And I mostly danced with you, so…"

"My point."

Aubrey took in the pouting, the petulant scowl, and realized exactly what was happening at that moment. "Oh my God, are you jealous?"

"No." Came the quick response.

Aubrey's eyebrow arched. "You are!"

"I don't get jealous." Stacie insisted. "Especially over pretty-boy IT assistant managers who aren't concerned about midterms anymore."

"Very jealous!" Aubrey exclaimed. She stopped walking, and due to their handhold, forced Stacie to stop, as well. She pulled on Stacie's hand, and drew her closer. "I don't know how many times – or ways – I can tell you he's gay, but…"

"It's not about Dave." Stacie muttered, looking away from Aubrey.

"Then what is it about?"

Stacie sighed, and turned back to look at her. "Why can't we be like this all the time? Why can't you be like this all the time? Why are your assignments when we see each other almost always in the South?"

"Because you're in Georgia and we're limited to the middle of the South-East?" Aubrey mused. "I don't pick where the clients are, and most of them just aren't in college towns."

"Why do they keep sending you to the South?" Stacie asked, still opting to be prissy about it.

"Because not a lot of middle managers in the head office have roots from the South?" Aubrey surmised. She shrugged. "The managers I meet tend to be nicer when they're meeting someone they feel understands them."

"You don't even have an accent." Stacie pouted.

Aubrey rolled her eyes, because damn what she was willing to do for this girl. "After years of training, but sure, I could totes," she slowed down her speech into a Southern drawl, "talk like this if that's what you're into."

Stacie dropped her petulant stance, and stared at Aubrey. "I know it's wrong but fuck that's hot."

"Language!" Aubrey reprimanded in mock offense, still with that accent. "I refuse to kiss you with that kind of mouth."

Stacie shook her head. "You're gonna have to stop, or this whole fresh-air, walking-in-public thing's going to be wasted."

Aubrey laughed, dropping the accent. "Be careful what you wish for."

"Or I just might get it?" Stacie returned.

Aubrey shrugged, and they continued on their way. After a few moments, Stacie told her, "What are you doing on Thanksgiving?"

"Work."

It was like an automatic response.

"It's… Thanksgiving."

"And the real bosses get to go home to their families and friends while someone has to hold down the fort because being in a multinational means not every country celebrates Thanksgiving."

Stacie frowned. "I didn't study Business Management or whatever, but I'm pretty sure that's forced labor."

"Not if it's voluntary."

Stacie made a face. "You volunteered to work on Thanksgiving?"

"To be honest, I don't really 'do' Thanksgiving."

Stacie stopped walking, forcing Aubrey to do the same. "What the hell do you mean, you don't 'do' Thanksgiving?"

"I don't really like the holiday." Aubrey replied calmly, despite Stacie's obvious aggravation.

"You don't like…" Stacie couldn't even finish the question in her frustration. "How are you American? Is it because of the South thing, or the Native American thing?"

"Neither. It's a personal preference."

"Against Thanksgiving?' Stacie exclaimed. "There are parades!"

"To mark the start of holiday shopping season; Why are you so upset about this?" Aubrey queried, concerned.

"I live for the winter holidays, and you don't like Thanksgiving." Stacie pointed out. "How can I not be upset?"

"I like Christmas fine. And New Year's. Both of which I'm already slated to spend with you. So I don't do Thanksgiving. How is that so bad?"

Cut to the next day, and Chloe raised an eyebrow at Stacie's internet search history, reading over her shoulder. "Why are you looking up reasons why people hate Thanksgiving? Isn't the slaughter of Native Americans the only reason?"

"Animal activists protest the turkey mass murder." Stacie, seated at her desk, glanced over her shoulder at Chloe and added, "Some Southerners think it's a Northeastern invention and didn't celebrate it until recently."

Chloe snorted. "Must be one of Aubrey's ancestors."

Open invitation to pry? Maybe. And Stacie was taking it. "What, does she hate Thanksgiving, or something?"

"No, not hate." Chloe shook her head, moving across the room towards her bed. "She loves the spirit of it, but the family tradition for Thanksgiving's like, her dad takes her out to go hunting with him and his friends and their kids."

For some reason Stacie could completely believe that Aubrey would go hunting with her dad. "And she's bad at it?"

Chloe laughed. "No, she's supposed to be pretty good. Excellent shot, according to her mom. But the other kids resented her, being the only girl and being the best shot, so it still sucked for her. When she decided she didn't want to do that anymore, but her dad made a fuss about it being a family tradition or whatever, so her only option was to stay in campus and not go home at all." Chloe shrugged. "I'd try and make her come with me, but most of her other friends weren't the type to go home, either."

As Chloe drifted off in thought, Stacie silently willed Chloe to make the vague suggestion of inviting Aubrey over for Thanksgiving. She was even willing to forgo going home if Chloe just made that suggestion. She already knew Aubrey couldn't make the trip, but it put a lot less pressure on her from being the one to bridge the gap between the two friends, and it would be enough to make her super-thankful this year.

Chloe shook her head, coming back to the present, and turned to Stacie. "Fat Amy got a 95 on one of her test papers today, we're gonna have a party when she and Cynthia Rose get back with the alcohol."

Stacie frowned, confused. "It's barely past lunch. On Tuesday." And she was seeing Aubrey right after her afternoon class before Aubrey had to leave for the airport, so…

"So skip your afternoon class."

Stacie could already feel the whine building up in her vocal cords. "I can't."

Chloe gazed at her thoughtfully, as if trying to come up with a decision on something, and finally asked, "Are you seeing someone you shouldn't be right now?"

Stacie tried, hopefully successfully, to keep her expression impassive, but what the aca-fuck, Chloe. "What—why would you even… What do you mean?"

Chloe frowned at her, and moved to the edge of her bed, closer to where Stacie was still seated at her desk. "I mean, you've been on your phone, like, all the time, you're sneaking off to who knows where, you haven't been stocking up your safe sex stash, or taken an STD or pregnancy test since school started! You haven't gone to the clinic once! So either you're seeing someone for real, or you're not having sex at all, which I'm pretty sure isn't the case because you wouldn't be racking up call time if whoever you're seeing isn't putting out."

Stacie stared at Chloe, because clearly Chloe had chosen the wrong future career if she'd opted for Music Education over Forensics. Before she could say anything, however, Chloe continued.

"So if you're boning a Treblemaker who's actually considerate enough to be in charge of the condoms, it's okay." Chloe went on. "That rule's so out, and Beca obvs won't be enforcing it." She smiled at Stacie. "I just want you to know you don't have to hide any relationship you're in."

Chloe was being so nice about Stacie keeping secrets, it made her want to break down crying and confessing everything to her. And also tell her she'd rather be in a small-town rural community college than date, much less bone, a Treblemaker. (Especially since it meant Aubrey would never touch her again.)

Chloe smiled at Stacie, and turned back to her own laptop, putting on her headphones – which looked like either it was given, borrowed, or stolen from Beca, judging by its size – and starting a movie (Chloe hardly ever did homework anymore, Stacie had no idea what her curriculum each semester looked like and didn't know how she was still eligible to compete in collegiate a cappella).

In the end, Stacie ended up staying after her afternoon class to discuss a project with her classmates, and had to skip out on both Fat Amy's party and pre-flight goodbye sex with Aubrey. She cursed the part of her that was undeniably a nerd who liked to excel in school. She'd had to content herself with sending Aubrey text messages throughout her meeting, and by the time the meeting had ended, Aubrey was mid-flight.

After that, despite the both of them being in the same time zone and pretty much having memorized each other's schedules, it was a constant game of phone tag, because Aubrey was suddenly swamped with work for the start of the new fiscal year (whatever that meant) and Stacie had exams and the start of the Barden Bellas' rehearsals for their winter tour.

They finally caught up the week of Thanksgiving, on Monday evening while Chloe was out with several of the other Bellas to watch a movie, with promises to bring home food when they got back. Stacie, who had a report to finish, had stayed in, and an idle dial of her phone resulted in Aubrey answering. While apologetic for forcing the issue with Aubrey before, Stacie couldn't help but insist that she could change Aubrey's mind about the holiday.

Aubrey, who was just grateful that Stacie was dropping the matter of Thanksgiving, didn't question the reasons for her change of heart. But she had to admit, "you probably could, but it won't be this year."

Stacie pouted, cradling her phone to her ear with her shoulder, and continued to pack her bag for the coming weekend. "So you'll be stuck at work?"

"Not at the office, no. But I'll be on call, like the head office bitch that I am, pacing my apartment and hoping that nothing goes wrong for the weekend."

Stacie stopped packing. "And you can't pace in Pennsylvania?"

"We both know work's going to be the last thing on my mind if I'm with you in Pennsylvania." Aubrey reminded.

"Then who am I going to cuddle with watching every Peanuts special there is?"

"We can Skype," Aubrey offered, "but I'll constantly be glancing at the top corner of my screen watching the office activity log."

Stacie snorted with derision. "There's an activity log?"

"Every call and email logged for the Oversight group, yes."

"What?" Stacie laughed. "And that's what you'll be doing all weekend?"

"I'll be pacing." Aubrey reminded.

"Wishing and hoping?" Stacie teased. "And thinking, and praying, planning and dreaming?"

"Each night of your charms," Aubrey deadpanned. At least someone had paid attention when she and Chloe had been teaching a bunch of freshmen about Burt Bacharach.

"That won't get you into my arms." Stacie returned.

Aubrey sighed. "At least Christmas is just a few weeks away."

"That's ages from now!" Stacie whined playfully.

There was a pause, and then Aubrey asked tentatively, "How are preparations going for your winter tour?"

Stacie paused, startled, before a wide grin spread on her face. "They're great, actually. Do you want me to send you a list of our stops?"

"No, I'm grounded through January, anyway. Unless there's a stop in the tri-state area, I won't be able to make it."

"You're grounded?" Stacie echoed blankly.

"Everyone below AVP status are strictly confined to the office. This first quarter, and possibly the second, is going to be hell."

"Aww, sorry baby." Stacie cooed. "Want to sing it out?"

Aubrey laughed. "No, it's fine."

"Wish you could see a show, though." Stacie noted. "The costumes are tight."

There was a pause, and then Aubrey queried, "Like, literally, or slang term meaning awesome?"

A wicked smile pulled at Stacie's lips. "Both."

"Take pictures?"

"Phones can take video, you know."

"Video?" Aubrey echoed.

"I have to get into the costume somehow." Stacie teased. "And out of it."

There was an audible crash on Aubrey's end of the line, startling them both, before Aubrey breathlessly returned on the line. "Ow."

Stacie laughed. "Did you fall off your chair?"

"Maybe." Aubrey whimpered, but not from her crash. "You're cruel."

Stacie smirked. "I know."

Aubrey sighed. "Christmas." She declared firmly, as if willing it to come sooner.

"Want me to bring my costumes?"

"Only if you want me banned from your mother's house."

"So that's a no?"

"That's a no."

"Too bad, one of the tops lift real well and really do the girls justice. I think you would've liked it."

"Trust me, 'the girls' don't need any costumes to be justified."

"The girls appreciate your appreciation." Stacie grinned, and couldn't help but tease Aubrey. "But good to know that you do like them."

"Of course I like them. You know I like them." Aubrey groused. "Do I not 'like' them enough for you?"

"You could 'like' them some more."

"Somehow I'm not sure if that works out better for you, or me." Aubrey noted. "But I'll keep that in mind."

There was a loud bang from downstairs, followed by loud voices, and Stacie sighed. She would've liked to see how far she could have pushed the thread of conversation but it sounded like the rest of her friends were home. "Saved by the bell. Looks like dinner's here."

"Talk to you soon." Aubrey said agreeably. "'Bye."

"Good night." Stacie smiled. "Love you."

She ended the call, and dropped her phone on the bed, surveying the mess of clothes on her bed.

The phone buzzed, and Stacie frowned when she saw Aubrey's name.

They literally just hung up, they even said goodbye. But Aubrey was the type to call just to remind Stacie about something, and Stacie smiled with fond exasperation, reaching to pick it up.

And froze.

Oh shit.