So first up, thank you for the awesome feedback I got on the last chapter! Every little helps, and it honestly spurred me on. This is a bit of a filler chapter, but we are getting to the more in depth stuff soon enough. As Cesare Pavese once said,

"The Cadence of Suffering has begun."

Also some BeChloe fluff coming up in the next couple of chapters… but more about that later ;)

If in any way any of my readers feel I'm being insensitive with my depiction of Beca's condition, please feel free to message me. I'm trying to make it as light as possible without offending anyone. I have had somewhat personal encounters with this form of cancer, and if anyone needs any support, please do not hesitate to message.

But enough babble!

Beca didn't know how long it had been since she left her dorm room. Night and day seemed to blur together in the hazy trance she had been left in. she hadn't slept. She hadn't eaten. But she didn't care.

Kimmy Jin, despite her overall hostile attitude towards the brunette, had been leaving water by her bed before heading out for a class. Beca sometimes found an energy bar next to it. It touched her that even behind the glares, the ignorance and hatred for the young DJ, Kimmy Jin found it in herself to care for someone who was clearly hurting.

It just hurt more that Beca couldn't seem to stomach it.

Next to her bed, her phone started ringing. Groaning, the brunette rolled out from under the blankets she had buried herself in to turn it off, not looking nor caring who it was. It had been like this for the entirety of her time since getting back from the hospital. When she had finally got back to her dorm, she had thrown herself under her blankets and cried until it seemed there was no more tears left in her system. The only time she left her bed after that was to change her clothes or relieve herself. She was pretty sure she stunk, given that the last time she saw a shower was the morning of the hospital visit, but she didn't care. Why should she?

Beside her, Beca's phone pinged alerting her to a new voicemail. Again, this wasn't new. But she couldn't find it in herself to talk to anyone. She had made a silent promise to herself that no one was to find out. If this was the way her life was going to go… if this was the end to her story, then she should at least make it as lightweight as possible for everyone else.

Chloe Beale had always been a worrier. Whether it be about something as trivial as the weather to something with exponential importance like passing her exams and progressing in life, she would worry until the problem was solved. Until she knew there was nothing else she could possibly do to rectify the situation, where she was able.

But this was different.

No one had heard from Beca for 5 days. She had missed rehearsals twice, and there was only so much reassurance that "something must have come up", or "I'm sure she has a perfectly good reason" can do. Especially for someone like Aubrey Posen.

"I will not tolerate tardiness Chloe!" she practically screamed, on the third rehearsal that Beca had missed. The redhead rubbed her temples, feeling the lack of sleep and Aubrey's piercing voice drum against her brain.

"I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason Bree, don't forget no one else has seen or heard from her." Chloe gave a pointed look to Fat Amy, who was sat in the corner of the room demonstrating mermaid dancing for Stacie. Both captains knew Beca and Amy's… relationship was the closest they had seem the brunette to actual friends, save for Chloe. But the Australian had heard nothing either.

Aubrey just huffed, knowing she would not get through to the redhead. Chloe knew that it wouldn't take much more for Aubrey to just kick Beca out of the Bella's for good, so she decided to take action.

"I'm going to go to Beca's dorm room. This has gone on long enough." Before she had chance to hear what the uptight blonde had to say, Chloe bolted out the room and over the quad towards Baker Hall. She didn't slow her pace until she was walking down the corridor, eyeing the numbers until she was stood outside Beca's door. It wasn't until then did she realise what she was doing.

Chloe had texted the younger girl countless times, questioning her silence and practically begging her to forgive her for not going to the hospital with her. The calls the redhead had made, had gone unanswered, leaving Chloe with a sinking feeling in her stomach.

No, she thought, I'm not leaving her again. Not this time.

Chloe tapped lightly on the door, almost whispering "Beca?" When no reply came, she knocked again, louder this time. After about two minutes, Chloe was about to give up and come back later, when she heard something shatter, followed by "Oh, fuck!" This was enough to propel her forward, knocking louder.

"Beca I know you're in there. Please open the door." She was met with more silence. There was no other option.

"If you won't talk to me, I'll go get Aubrey." The redhead held her breath as a soft sigh was heard from within. Chloe couldn't help but smile as the deadbolt on the door slipped open with an audible click, however the door did not open. She took this as her cue. She grabbed the knob and turned it, pushing into the darkness of the room.

It took a second for her eyes to adjust. The curtains were tightly drawn, bathing the room in an almost eerie light. The redheads cerulean blue eyes roamed the room, searching for the deep ocean blue ones of her friend. For a second Chloe had to wonder if Beca had fled the room without her knowledge, but then she caught something shifting in the corner of the bed that the Brunette was inhabiting. She could just make out the tiny figure, wrapped in blankets with a hood pulled over her head, hiding her face.

Chloe moved to open the blinds when a soft voice stopped her mid-stride.

"Please… don't." the vulnerability in the voice made the redhead freeze in her tracks. She glanced over, her eyes now well-adjusted to the dark, to see Beca staring at her.

"Okay I won't. Can I at least turn the sidelight on?" she took a couple of tentative steps towards the bed, feeling like any sudden movements would startle her back further into the corner. Chloe could see the hesitation in the brunette's posture, before she sighed again and nodded. Chloe reached for the switch, flicking it on. A small yelp came from the corner as Beca buried her face into the blankets. Her eyes were sensitive from the lack of light; even the dim sidelight set fires behind her eyelids.

"Beca?"

The small DJ lifted her head, and in the new light, Chloe gasped.

Her usually pale skin had, if possible, turned even paler, save for the black circles around her eyes. Her cheeks were sunken, lips chapped, and a dazed but guarded look had graced her bloodshot eyes. Chloe's heart broke at the sight. The brunette was looking anywhere but the redhead, eyes darting all around the room, knowing she looked an absolute mess but she didn't care.

She didn't care. She didn't care. She didn't care. She didn't ca-

"Beca will you please look at me?" Chloe's voice tore through the mantra, and Beca's eyes finally landed on the blue orbs of her best friend.

"Please talk to me… what's going on? I tried calling and texting and we've – I've been so worried." Beca just stared back, almost in a trance. Chloe had no idea if Beca had heard her.

"Becs please. Please say something. I'm sorry that I couldn't come with you. I really tried to-"

"It's fine." Beca spoke so softly, it was almost as if she hadn't spoke at all.

"What happened at the hospital? Please don't shut me out. Whatever it is we can work through it together, okay? Whatever you need-"again Beca cut her off, taking her hands in the process. They were ice cold and trembling slightly. Never had Chloe seen something other than the calm, solid badass Beca Mitchell. But now, seeing the same girl transform into someone who was falling apart at the seams… it was unnerving to say the least. Where once was a spark in her eyes, was replaced by a dull vacant expression

"Don't think like that. I was being paranoid. It was nothing. I just need you to promise me you won't think too hard about this okay? I just need time… I'll be okay." Beca squeezed the redhead's hands, hoping that she would understand. She could see the conflicted emotions swimming in her bright blue eyes, before they settled on something like acceptance.

"Okay Becs… I trust you." She squeezed back.

They sat in silence for a while, just taking each other in, before an idea came into Beca's head. Chloe could see the familiar glint in the brunette's eyes for a split second, before turning back to that dull hue that had taken over. Chloe was about to question it when a small smile adorned Beca's face.

"Do you want to go for a drive?"

A/N – please R&R, it would mean the world to me to get your thoughts! As always, I love you awesome nerds