She will say this.

Score one for domestic seduction skills. And bonus points for manipulation-by-cookie, because Stacie had scored herself a definite invitation to spending time with Aubrey over the summer, regardless of where Aubrey was likely to end up when Barden's summer vacation officially started.

Stacie smiled in smug satisfaction, and hid her face into Aubrey's hair even as she pulled the other girl closer. "Good morning."

"Your phone's been ringing." Came the half-asleep grumble in return.

Stacie whined in complaint. "Your pillow talk is terrible."

"Babe, your phone's been ringing." Aubrey said in reply.

Stacie couldn't help but chuckle, even as she allowed, "Only slightly better."

It was at least mid-morning, Stacie could surmise from the sunlight streaming into Aubrey's hotel room, and she was considering what she needed to do for the weekend and how much she of it she could postpone in favor of spending more time with Aubrey. "So what's the plan for today?"

"Sleep." Aubrey mumbled. After a beat, she added, "Unless you have better ideas of how to stay in bed."

Stacie grinned. "I love my influence on you."

"I bet you do."

Stacie was about to ask about breakfast but she was cut off by her phone rattling on the bedside table on Aubrey's side of the bed, making Stacie lift her head to look at it curiously while Aubrey had to ask: "Is it too early to tease you about having your phone on vibrate?"

"I love you too." Stacie replied flatly, reaching out for her phone and checking the screen. It was an incoming message, and she frowned as she scrolled through her phone and message history to find multiple calls from Jessica, Ashley, Beca, Cynthia Rose and Chloe. "Weird."

On second thought, she had sneaked out the night before to avoid having to "share" Aubrey with the rest of the Bellas, and in retrospect she can't remember if she'd told anyone that she was going out. And staying out.

At the very least, the current message from Beca was telling. "You have to go with me to the house."

"Sleep." Aubrey reminded.

"Beca says Chloe said you have to show."

Aubrey grumbled in response. After a moment, she asked: "Does she enjoy being kicked out of her room that much?"

"I don't kick her out," Stacie denied, which earned her an over-the-shoulder look of skepticism from Aubrey. She amended, "I lock her out and/or ask her very nicely, like a good college roommate."

"Okay," Aubrey said dryly, turning back away from Stacie and burrowing into her pillow. "I will say no to the invitation, thank you."

Stacie shrugged, and sent a text message echoing Aubrey's response to Beca. "I wonder how they knew you were in town, though." Especially since she'd made the very deliberate choice to keep Aubrey's visit to Georgia a secret from the Bellas, at least until she'd made up for their failed date back in New York after the ICCA Nationals.

Sure, she was glad the girls had mellowed out about having Aubrey around and they have actually started to look forward to having her around, but she was going to have to start being more discerning about when and how she and Aubrey would be spending time with the Bellas. Last night was a prime example.

Which, okay, she probably should have told someone. Like Jessica or Ashley, who were usually so overlooked the other Bellas would probably neglect to ask them about Stacie's whereabouts.

Or who she was with.

Again, how did they know?

Beside her, Aubrey paused, and turned to face Stacie fully. "You're kidding, right?"

Stacie gave her a blank look.

"You were out all night and spent the night outside of the house; I'd be more concerned if their first conclusion wasn't you spending the night with your visiting girlfriend." Aubrey pointed out.

Stacie looked at her for a long moment before she closed her eyes in understanding, inwardly berating herself for not thinking of that rationale, before she opened them and smiling weakly at Aubrey. "I love you?"

Aubrey smiled in bemusement. "Why do you have to be there?"

"I don't—" Stacie was once more interrupted by her phone. She glanced at the text message. "Well, there you go. Chloe says you have to go to the house." She didn't even need to look away from her phone and turn to Aubrey to know there was more of a pause now that it had been a directive from Chloe. She did, however, offer: "Do you want me to call Chloe?"

"No." Aubrey said quickly, suddenly feeling very tired, because she knew exactly what Chloe would want to talk about, and it had nothing to do about the number of times she and Stacie have kept Chloe from the room she and Stacie shared. Because with graduation just around the corner, that meant Denise had officially run out of time to tell Chloe about her new job and that new job's start date, and how that start date would prevent the graduating senior from joining the Bellas on their summer tour.

So much for the afterglow.

Stacie glanced at Aubrey, noticed her expression, and ventured a guess on her apprehension. "Denise?"

"I guess."

Stacie sent out a message to Beca – if anyone could talk Chloe down to a calmer state, it would be Beca – before tossing her phone back onto the bedside table. She smiled at Aubrey. "It can't be that bad, right?"

Aubrey gave her a wry look. "Chloe hasn't been graduating partly because she doesn't want to leave the Bellas. She won't say it, but just like how I resent her for staying in Barden, she kind of resents me for leaving. How do you think she'll feel about me deliberately helping one of the Bellas to leave?"

Stacie conceded that point, but couldn't help but note, "Your shit with your best friend is weird."

"It's like having served together in armed combat," Aubrey pointed out. "Like my dad always said, when you've served together, you're brothers for life with someone who lost their life or limb for you."

Stacie's expression wrinkled first, and then realized: "That's a very short brotherhood for those who didn't lose a limb."

"I tried not to think about that part too hard," Aubrey admitted.

Stacie shook her head, and mused out loud: "This puts a new twist to being 'Bellas for life'."

"If you're about to say something about us being Bella sisters, I'm going to have to start being more withholding."

Stacie snorted in skepticism. "This is you over-sharing?"

"Yes, and that means I'm not sharing any more of your manipulative cookies."

Stacie pouted. "Operative word being they're mine. I made those cookies."

"And you made them for me, so," Aubrey shrugged.

Stacie arched an eyebrow, and then smirked as she moved closer to Aubrey, "But I like you better when you're being generous."

Despite herself, Aubrey smiled as Stacie pressed a kiss to her lips, "I bet you do." She kissed Stacie a few more times before she voiced out, "You know I was just being annoying, right? I'm not going on tour with the Bellas, but I was always going to spend at least a few weeks of your summer break with you."

Stacie paused, and pulled back slightly. "No, and that's super annoying. I know we said we would, but that was before you left your job, and since then you keep on hedging your bets; so what are you talking about?"

"I mean I don't exactly have a job to be a good enough reason to break what I'd already promised, that we'd spend the summer together."

Stacie furrowed her brow. "When was this?"

Aubrey arched an eyebrow. "Like a year ago? You said you'd fly out to wherever I'd be, and we'd hang out." She shrugged. "I'd hoped I'd have more to offer than what's probably going to be New York or Atlanta heat during the summer and watching me work at home, but I've actually been looking forward to spending time with you this summer."

Understanding dawned, and despite her feelings of happiness, joy, and mild amusement about the fact that Aubrey had kept in mind a promise they'd made a year ago and the sentiment behind it, Stacie couldn't help but frown. "I didn't need to bake cookies?"

"I guess not."

Stacie growled, and moved so she could push Aubrey to lie on her back. "You're terrible."

Aubrey could only laugh, responding, "Probably."

"Definitely." Stacie corrected, using her body to pin Aubrey to the bed. "Since I don't think I'm gonna get any more of those cookies, I'm gonna need to get some payback."

Aubrey grinned. "Do we have time?"

Stacie smiled, "Probably not." She chuckled, joining Aubrey's laughter, even as she conceded, "They can wait."

The last thing Aubrey or even Stacie expected upon arriving at the Bellas' residence that afternoon was for a party to be in full swing, although if they stopped to really think about it, was it really that much of a surprise? In Barden, the general response to good or bad news seemed to be throwing a party, after all. Aubrey frowned when someone handed Stacie a drink almost immediately after their arrival, and took the drink from Stacie's hand and placed it on a nearby table. "What's going on?"

"This must be the denial stage," Stacie mused, glancing around the crowded house.

"Should these people be drinking when they still have finals coming up?" Aubrey asked.

"Don't be such a downer, grandma. It's a college party." Stacie reminded.

To be honest, at that moment Aubrey was just glad Stacie had taken her up on her offer to borrow a set of clothes instead of doing the walk of shame in last night's sexy-chef getup. Before Aubrey could say anything in her defense, they encountered Denise, who, for someone who was at a party apparently thrown in honor of her impending graduation, actually looked worried.

"Nice party." Stacie commented.

Denise shot her a look, replying, "You should answer your phone, because it's not just mine." And then she directed her gaze on Aubrey. "I told Chloe."

"I figured." Aubrey acknowledged. "How's she taking it?"

Denise motioned to their surroundings. "How do you think?"

"This is not a good sign," Aubrey noted, lightly squeezing Stacie's hand to indicate her worry.

"I tried to keep you out of it," Denise continued, but Aubrey cut her off, shaking her head.

"No, I saw this coming," Aubrey assured her. "I'd hoped against it, but…"

"You don't know, maybe she's genuinely happy for Denise," Stacie countered, allowing herself to be to play devil's advocate on Chloe's behalf.

"Oh, I'm sure she is," Aubrey replied. "It's not Denise she's going to be mad at."

Denise cringed. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Stacie told her.

Aubrey glanced briefly around them, looking for Chloe, before she turned to Denise and met her gaze. In an even tone, belying Stacie's own assertion, she told Denise, "You should be."

"Aubrey." Stacie said sternly.

"I need a drink." Aubrey grumbled. She looked at Denise. "It's fine. But when you get your annual bonus, remember who helped you get your job."

Denise smiled faintly. "Do you take checks?"

"I will accept a gift basket," Aubrey told her. "Did they tell you where you're reporting?"

"Ohio first, and then probably California." Denise reported.

"What's in Ohio?" Stacie asked.

"Head Office of the company that got her." Aubrey told her.

"Oh." Stacie turned to Aubrey. "I won't come and see you if you take a job in Ohio."

"This is noted." Aubrey replied.

"I'm serious," Stacie insisted. "Don't take a job in Ohio."

"Yes, dear." Aubrey said dryly, and she and Stacie shared a look of bemusement, knowing Aubrey was unlikely to take a job someplace where she didn't have any kind of professional advantage; and despite her warning, Stacie was very likely to go anywhere Aubrey would be, anyway.

Stacie turned to Denise. "Are you sure you want to go be a corporate stooge, instead of spend a few weeks trapped in a bus with your very best friends to sing a cappella to an adoring crowd?"

Denise laughed. "I will take employment, thanks."

"Your loss."

"I'll live." Denise turned back to Aubrey. "Chloe's outside."

Aubrey, however, was frowning at Stacie, and when Stacie directed her attention to her, she repeated warily, "'Corporate stooge'."

"Don't look at me like that, you know I find Oversight executive Aubrey Posen hot." Stacie reminded.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "You're so weird."

"And you're dating me, so," Stacie shrugged, and smiled brightly at her, giving her a knowing wink. "Right back at 'ya."

Aubrey rolled her eyes, and glanced around the room. "Where are the drinks?"

"Kitchen." Denise answered.

Aubrey nodded.

"Ooh, get me one?" Stacie asked.

Aubrey shot her a look as she departed. "You called me a corporate stooge, babe. Get your own drink."

Stacie pouted, and Denise watched the exchange with slight amusement, but once Aubrey was gone, she clarified, "I'm sending her a check, aren't I?"

"And an awesome gift basket, yeah." Stacie confirmed.

Aubrey had stashed her preferred brand of beer in the back of the Bellas' fridge the last time she had been in town, and – knowing how the Bellas claimed anything in the fridge as a free-for-all – either through sheer ignorance, neglect, or fear of Aubrey Posen, it remained untouched where she'd left it. And she was glad, because the keg the Trebles had supplied was awful, and she needed the liquid courage before she confronted Chloe about… everything.

She hadn't been lying, or merely projecting her own feelings, in saying she and Chloe had feelings of resentment about her having graduated and leaving while Chloe purposely failed her classes to stay in Barden. They hadn't said as much, but they knew each other well enough to know these kinds of things. While they had forgiven each other, so to speak, the feeling didn't just go away, and to both their discredit, neither of them have gone out of their way to truly fix what they both refused to acknowledge was broken.

She can't say for certain at what point she'd known Chloe wouldn't be graduating for another year, but having it confirmed hadn't come as a surprise. What Aubrey couldn't say for certain was how Chloe would react to Denise's graduation.

As she'd said, she had no doubt that Chloe was happy for Denise, but that didn't mean she was thrilled about it. After all, she'd had built up their victory tour as a major event, and, yes, Denise was definitely wrong for waiting for so long, but Chloe had known Denise would be graduating at the end of the school year. This wasn't supposed to be an out-of-the-blue turn of events.

She didn't know what to expect from the confrontation they were likely to have, but she just hoped she would be able to keep her mouth shut about Chloe staying in Barden for another year.

Beca found her first. "Hey. Anyone tell you and Stacie yet?"

Aubrey frowned, confused. "Tell me what?"

"We got an invite as ICCA champions to perform at the Kennedy Center."

"Hey! That's great!" Aubrey exclaimed, and then both she and Beca started to move in for a hug before they caught themselves and stopped short of contact. There was an awkward pause that followed, in which neither of them knew what to do with themselves, and how to properly celebrate such big news, then Beca suggested:

"Special occasion?"

Aubrey considered, and nodded in acquiescence, both of them allowing the hug to happen.

When they separated, Aubrey asked, "When did you find out?"

"I got the email last night." Beca replied.

"Denise didn't say anything when we ran into her."

Beca winced. "I told the Bellas about fifteen minutes before Denise finally told Chloe why she can't be there."

Aubrey closed her eyes, and pinched the bridge of her nose because that was not good. "How'd she take it?"

"Uh," Beca indicated the party happening around them. "She insisted on throwing Denise a big party."

"For graduating?"

"Yeah, okay, let's go with that," Beca nodded. "We told everyone it's about the Kennedy Center, but, you know."

Aubrey did know. But before she could press Beca for more details, something collided into them from the side, and before they knew it, Chloe was wrapping her arms around their waists.

"There you two are!"

Drunk Chloe. Aubrey's trepidation only grew, trying to figure out which version of Chloe's inebriated persona would be making an appearance. "Hey, Chlo. Beca was just telling me about the Kennedy Center."

"Oh, totes!" Chloe nodded enthusiastically. "Even the Trebles never got to perform there."

This was true. Aubrey was so going to brag about this with the older girls who had been Bellas with them. She turned to Beca, realizing that the Kennedy Center usually kept the performers for their events a secret until the official announcement, and had to ask: "Is it safe to tell people about your invitation?"

Beca paused, and then worriedly glanced around them at the party. "Uh… maybe?"

Aubrey gave her a weary look.

"Don't look at me like that, it was just an invitation and a line that other details will follow later." Beca said defensively.

Okay, point.

"Psh, stop being a buzzkill, Bree." Chloe interrupted the exchange. "Becs, don't let her kill the buzz."

"I think she's just being cautious, Chloe." Beca offered.

"Yeah, well she should have been careful about finding Denise a job that keeps her from our tour," Chloe retorted.

There it was. Brutally honest drunken Chloe, then.

Chloe turned to Aubrey. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"She asked me for a job." Aubrey said simply.

"You're unemployed! How can you hire her?" Chloe argued.

"Um, I'm not? I just gave her CV to someone I know who could screen and maybe hire her." Aubrey informed her.

"But the tour-!"

"She got to choose her start date, Chloe." Aubrey said, exasperated.

Chloe furrowed her brow, and turned to Beca questioningly.

"It means Denise was the one who wanted to start right away, Chloe." Beca explained.

Chloe turned back to Aubrey. "What, she couldn't get away from the Bellas fast enough? Or did she learn that from you?"

Ouch. Aubrey blanched, and even Beca had to cringe a little.

That stung, but the accusation was fair: Aubrey had left almost immediately after she had graduated from Barden, for a job she hadn't even told Chloe about until a week before graduation. But until that moment, Aubrey hadn't seen the parallel between her leaving with Denise's own impending departure.

"Chloe…"

Chloe shook her head, cutting of whatever Aubrey had been about to say. "I get it, graduation's a big deal; but being a Bella's awesome, I don't know why you have to be so eager to leave."

Because Aubrey had needed a new start, and Denise wanted to seize opportunity knowing well-paying social work was rare.

But Aubrey had a feeling Chloe wasn't really looking for an explanation.

"So another tour of having to reconfigure choreography and mixing up the harmony," Chloe remarked, and raised her solo cup at Aubrey in a mock salute. "Thanks a lot, Bree. That's twice, now."

Aubrey couldn't even begin to defend herself, because, well, Chloe actually had a point on that one.

"Okay, hey, that's not Aubrey's fault." Beca protested.

Off Aubrey's surprised look and Chloe's skeptical glance, Beca had to amend her position.

"Okay, not entirely Aubrey's fault," Beca corrected. "But she was just trying to help."

"Well, next time maybe reconsider before you help the Bellas, Aubrey!" Chloe exclaimed. "I can't just scare the girls into submission to fix things!"

Aubrey raised her hands in surrender. "Fine!"

"Good!"

Beca glanced at them, trying to figure out where they were in the argument and reconciliation, and tentatively voiced out, "Denise did ask Aubrey for help with the job, you know."

Chloe snorted. "Right. As if Denise would have the guts to ask Aubrey for help." She looked at Aubrey. "Did you know the girls had nightmares of you when they were freshmen?"

Beca did not know what to make of the fact that Aubrey at first seemed perturbed about this revelation, and then nodded in self-satisfaction. "You're terrifying."

"Oh," Chloe smiled patronizingly at Beca, and then squeezed Aubrey's waist, if a little too hard. "Don't let her leadership style and projectile vomit fool you: my bestie's a teddy bear."

Beca eyed Aubrey curiously.

"Let's not find out." Aubrey told her in a tone firmly.

Beca nodded her quick agreement.