DAY 08 - BABY, PLEASE COME HOME
Prompt from FanFiction User Hetwaszoietsals: Heavy Christmas with Beca in a car accident. Her thoughts when being stuck and the pain and fear of never seeing Chloe again. But of course with an HEA with Beca proposing or something beautiful like that when she survives.
"Rain, rain, go away, come again another day," Beca sing-songed as she drove through a torrential downpour trying to make her way home after another long day in the studio. "Chloe is going to kill me for being so late and driving home in this."
The radio was softly playing some Christmas songs in the background as Beca slowly made her way home. It was almost two in the morning and she hadn't seen another vehicle since she got on the road.
"Probably because they were smart enough to be home already," Beca mumbled to herself. "Or just smart enough not to try and drive in this."
Beca drove along keeping her eyes on the road in front of her. The wipers were flapping back and forth on the windshield, barely making a dent in the water that was pounding down on it. Her headlights were barely shining through the darkness.
"Oh, I love this song," Beca said as she cranked up the volume on her car radio. Beca started singing along.
The church bells in town
All singing in song
Full of happy sounds
Baby please come home
They're singing "Deck The Halls"
But it's not like Christmas at all
'Cause I remember when you were here
And all the fun we had last year
Pretty lights on the tree
I'm watching them shine
Baby please come ho-
"Holy shit!"
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
"Chloe? It's four-thirty in the morning," Aubrey said as she answered the phone. "What's wrong?"
"What's going on, babe?," Jesse mumbled from next to Aubrey.
"It's Chloe," Aubrey mouthed to him.
Sensing that something was wrong, Jesse sat up in the bed and looked at Aubrey.
"I'm sorry, Brey," Chloe said sounding distraught. "Beca hasn't come home and I'm really worried."
"Maybe she fell asleep at the studio," Aubrey said.
"The last time she texted me she was in the car on the way home," Chloe said. "She said it might take her a while because the weather was so bad. That was around two and I must have fallen asleep waiting for her. I woke up a few minutes ago and she wasn't here." Aubrey can tell Chloe is trying to hold back tears and panic. "It's been more than two hours since she said she was on the way home. I tried her phone and it goes straight to voicemail. I don't know what to do, Brey."
"Jesse and I will be there as soon as we get dressed," Aubrey said and disconnected the call.
Jesse jumped up out of bed without hesitation and grabbed some jeans and a shirt.
"Beca hasn't come home," Aubrey said as she too threw on some clothes. "Chloe is upset because the last text she got said she was on her way. And that was over two hours ago."
"Let's go," Jesse said once they were both fully dressed.
They both ran out to the car. Jesse pulled into Beca and Chloe's driveway less than twenty minutes after Chloe's call.
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
Beca groaned when she tried to move and knew that something wasn't quite right. She stuck her tongue out and slowly licked at her dry lips. She flinched when she recognized the metallic taste of blood. She coughed and groaned again from the aches she felt in her chest.
Beca's eyes finally opened only to find herself surrounded by semi-darkness. She felt disoriented and her neck hurt. She realized that she was in the car and she was laying on her left side. She looked to her right and could see the passenger side of her vehicle. Through the window she could see the colorful signs of the pre-sunrise. The darkness making way for the purple haze of the December sky.
Beca tried to look around more but every time she tried to lift her head, gravity pulled it back down. She blinked her eyes a few times and noted that her left eye seemed to stay closed and wouldn't open fully. She managed to focus her right eye and could see only darkness through the cracked windshield straight in front of her.
"Well, isn't that just fucking peachy," she muttered. "I should call 9-1-1 and let someone know where I am."
Beca stopped to think for a moment. She didn't know where her phone was. Hell, she didn't know where she was. She remembered the rain had been coming down so hard that she could barely see the road. And then.
"And then what?" Beca asked out loud, her voice raspy. Beca's brain was foggy as she tried to remember what had happened. She subconsciously started singing and then remembered something.
"I was singing when that stupid driver was speeding like he was on the Autobahn or something." Beca closed her eyes and flinched when she remembered he came into her lane and she jerked the wheel to avoid hitting him. She doesn't remember anything else until waking just a few minutes ago
Beca's mouth and throat were dry. She remembered she had a bottle of water in the cup holder and reached out with her right hand to try and find it. She dropped her arm when all she felt was an empty holder.
"How long have I been here?," Beca thought. "Is it still Christmas Eve? Chloe must be worried since I haven't made it home yet."
Beca knew she was hurt but had no idea to what extent. And, based on the wetness she feels on various parts of the left side of her body, she wasn't sure she wanted to know.
"That's a good sign though," Beca thought to herself. "I can feel the wetness of the blood, so I'm not paralyzed. Yay me."
Beca moaned and tried to figure out how exactly she was going to get out of the car. That was the only way she could see being found. Get out of the car and make her way back up to the road. Once she made it that far she could flag someone down. It's a solid plan; now all she has to do is execute it.
"Maybe I'll just sleep on it a bit," Beca mumbled as her eyes closed and she let the darkness behind her eyes overtake her.
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
"Beca? Wake up, babe."
"Why haven't you called me, I've been worried sick about you."
"Where are you?"
"Chloe?" Beca woke with a start and groaned at the sudden movement of her head. It fell back to the door and she almost passed out again.
There was a brightness outside the car now and Beca could only imagine what time it was. She started to feel more pain; all emanating from her left side. She tried to move and cried out in pain as she did. She stopped and took a minute to assess what she was feeling and where.
Beca took a couple of deep breaths and willed herself to stay conscious. She took it slowly and tried to move her feet. She could and moved on to trying to move her legs. She took another couple of deep breaths and moved her leg only to cry out in pain when she did. She felt fresh wetness pooling around her lower left leg. She must have cut it badly and moving it caused it to start bleeding.
Beca was sweating from all the effort of trying to move. Her biggest fear was her shoulder and arm. She couldn't move her left arm. She wasn't sure if it was because she had been laying on it for so long or, worse, it was somehow paralyzed beneath her body. She didn't have the strength to hold her head up, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to move to get her arm that was pinned between her body and the door out without severe consequences.
Beca clenched her teeth and tried to shift her body away from the door. She was sweating more from the effort and hadn't moved at all.
"This is quite the mess you got yourself into, Becs."
"Chloe?"
"Of course it's me, silly."
Beca gives a side glance and sees Chloe sitting in the passenger seat nonchalantly looking down at Beca. Beca felt dizzy and had to look away from Chloe.
"What's your plan to get out of this."
"I don't have one yet."
"Well, you'd better come up with one fast because you're going to pass out again."
"No, I'm-"
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
Beca woke with a start again. "Chloe?" She called out as she tried to look to her right again.
"Right here. I'm not going to leave you, Beca. I told you that early on in our relationship. I meant it then, and I mean it now. I love you."
"I love you, too." Chloe didn't say anything and Beca laid there for a few minutes. "In case I don't make it-"
"Don't talk like that. Of course, you're going to make it. You have to."
"In case I don't." Beca stopped and tried to swallow. She could feel the tears escaping her eyes and she glanced back to the passenger side to see Chloe. She wasn't there.
Beca let out a sob and continued to cry.
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
Chloe was truly worried about Beca. Aubrey and Jesse had been there since around five o'clock when she called them frantic over Beca not being home yet. That was over three hours ago.
Aubrey had taken charge and she and Jesse started calling hospitals to see if Beca had been admitted for any reason. And nothing.
"Maybe we should call the police," Aubrey suggested. "It's not like Beca to not call or answer calls or texts."
Chloe ran a hand through her hair. "Do you think they will do anything?"
"I honestly don't know," Aubrey said.
Jesse looked at Aubrey and an idea came into his head.
"How about this," Jesse said. "You keep trying to reach Beca and I'll drive to the studio and then back the route Beca would normally drive. See if maybe she's on the side of the road or something. If I don't find her, I'll come back here and we'll call the police. Okay?"
Chloe nodded. "Okay." She sniffled and hugged Jesse. "Thank you, Jesse."
Jesse pulled back from the hug and looked at Chloe. "It's going to be okay. Let's not worry until there's something to worry about."
Jesse stood and Aubrey followed him. "Be careful."
"I will," Jesse said. "Call me if you reach Beca. And I'll call you if I find anything."
"I love you," Aubrey said.
"I love you, too." Jesse kissed Aubrey and left the house.
Aubrey walked over to Chloe. "Come on, Chloe. I could use some more coffee."
Chloe got up and followed Aubrey into the kitchen.
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
"Beca?" Chloe's voice came through her sleep-fogged brain. "Come on, Becs, it's time to wake up."
"Chloe?"
"Yeah, silly," Chloe said with a laugh.
"I can't wake up," Beca said. "I want to, but I can't."
"I love you," Chloe said. "I have for a while now."
"What? Why didn't you say anything?"
"I thought you liked Jesse."
"Ew, no. Jesse's like my brother. Plus, he's my best friend."
"No matter where you go, I will always be here waiting for you. I just need you to come home. Baby, please come home."
"Chloe?" Beca moved and then screamed in pain. The tears fell freely from her eyes and her hand went to her shoulder to try and stop the pain. She must have moved while she was unconscious.
Beca wiped at her face and couldn't seem to dry it. She wiped again and when she saw her hand, there was blood.
"Oh, God," Beca said and wiped her hand on her pants. She felt something trickling down the side of her head and put her hand up to it to find the source. She could feel a gash on her forehead near her temple. She pressed down on it and winced at the pain. Her hand dropped and she couldn't keep her eyes open. She finally succumbed to darkness once again.
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
Jesse made it to the studio and went inside. The only person he saw was a security guard. He remembered Beca had told him the studio would be closed for the holidays.
He went up to the security guard and explained why he was there. The security guard checked the security log and Beca had signed herself out at one-forty-five that morning. This all fits with the timing of Beca's text to Chloe saying she was leaving the studio.
Jesse thanked the security guard and went back out to the parking lot. He walked over to Beca's reserved spot and looked around. If she had been jumped or something, maybe there was some evidence of a struggle.
Again, no luck. Jesse got back in his car and started driving the route Beca drove every day to get back home. He looked in parking lots along the way in case Beca had pulled over somewhere because of the rain or she was tired.
Jesse's phone rang and he saw it was Aubrey.
"Did Chloe finally reach Beca?," Jesse asked as he answered the phone.
"No," Aubrey told him. "Chloe is beside herself and wanted me to check to see if you found anything."
"I checked with the security guard and Beca signed out at almost two this morning. I'm driving to you now. I'll call you if anything comes up."
"Okay," Aubrey said. "And, please be careful."
"I will. I love you."
"I love you, too."
Jesse ended the call and continued the drive.
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
"You want me to move in with you?" Chloe looked shocked and Beca didn't take that as a good sign.
"Um. ye-yeah," Beca said. "I love you, Chloe."
"I love you, too," Chloe said and kissed Beca.
"You have to believe in yourself, Beca," Chloe told her.
"You're someone's reason to smile."
"You're my reason to smile," Beca responded.
"You're something special, Beca Mitchell."
"I'm just ordinary."
"There's ordinary, and then there's you."
Beca's eyes flew open as her mind clears itself a bit. She was thinking of Chloe and all the things she'd said to make Beca feel special. Chloe always knew what to say to make Beca feel better. She loved Chloe and was hoping to make their relationship permanent this Christmas.
"Good morning again, sunshine."
"Chloe! You're back." She glanced sideways to find Chloe smiling at her.
"I never left. I told you, I'll never leave you."
"Is it Christmas?" Beca doesn't know what day it is or how long she's been in the car. She knows she keeps going in and out of consciousness but that's all she knows.
"Not yet. It's Chrismas Eve and it's a beautiful morning."
"I want to finish telling you what I started to before I pass out again."
"You'll have plenty of time to tell me when you get home."
"Chlo. I don't think I'm going to make it home. It's been hours and no one's found me yet. I just need to tell you some things, so please don't say anything."
"Okay, Beca. I'm listening."
"I love you. I have for a very long time. And I thank God every day that you love me, too." Beca stopped and wiped at the tears sliding over her nose and down her face. "In the back of the tree, hidden in the branches, is a gift from me to you. It's small but not very well hidden."
Beca heard Chloe laugh. "You never were very good at hiding presents from me, Becs."
Beca chuckled at that. "You're right. So I know you'll find this one with no problem." Beca licked her lips. "The gift is an engagement ring. I want to marry you, Chloe. I was going to ask you on Christmas morning while we were sitting around in our matching Christmas pajamas that you insist on every year."
"Oh, you love them as much as I do."
"I do. I know I scoff but I love all the little traditions we've started together."
"I have to leave now, Beca."
"No," Beca cried out and then screamed in pain when she moved to try and see Chloe. "Don't go, Chloe. I don't want to be alone."
Beca let out a sob and the last thing she remembered before darkness enveloped her again, was Chloe's voice saying 'I love you, Becs.'
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
Some hikers came out of the woods into a clearing about thirty feet from the highway. They stopped and took a drink of water.
"We should probably head back, Jake," the one hiker said.
"Hey, Mike. What's that?" Jake said pointing to his right.
"It looks like the back of a car."
Jake and Mike both jog over and sure enough, there is a car on its side.
"Is anyone in there?," Jake asked.
Mike went around to the front of the car and looked through the windshield. "Someone's in there!"
"Holy shit," Jake said and pulled out his phone. "I don't have any reception down here. I'm going up to the road and call 9-1-1."
"I'll stay here and see if I can figure out a way to get to her."
Jake left and made his way to the road.
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
Up on the highway, State Police Trooper Dave Hansen sees what looks like a hiker on the side of the road. The guy is on the phone and is suddenly waving his arms at him. The trooper pulls to the side of the road to investigate.
"Thank, God," the guy said. "I'm on the phone with 9-1-1. There's a car down there and someone's inside."
The trooper looks down and can barely make out a vehicle laying on its side.
"Tell 9-1-1 that State Trooper Hansen is on the scene," he called out as he made his way down to the car.
Jake informed the 9-1-1 operator of Trooper Hansen being on the scene.
"Fire and rescue is on its way. We've also got an ambulance en route. Can you stay where you are so they can find you?"
"I will."
"Good, they are about four minutes out. Stay on the phone with me until they get there. Let me know if anything changes while you wait."
"Thank you."
Jake held the phone to his ear and paced back and forth, looking down at where the car was every few seconds.
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
Trooper Hansen gets to the car and sees a pair of legs coming out of the windshield. Mike hears someone but doesn't see them. He slowly backs out of the car and sees the officer.
"She's alive," Mike said. "I can feel a pulse but it's faint."
"Do you know what happened?"
"No sir," Mike said. "My buddy Jake and I were hiking and we just found it. I don't know how long she's been here. The windshield was already broken so I kicked it until I could pull it out of the way."
"Well, your friend called 9-1-1, and an ambulance and fire and rescue should be here shortly," the trooper said. "I'm going to see if I can find an ID for the girl."
The trooper laid on his stomach and made his way as far as he could into the car through the windshield; he looked around. He saw what looked like a wallet and reached for it. He was shocked when he looked at the woman to see her staring right at him.
"I need Chloe," Beca said her voice barely above a whisper.
"Who's Chloe?"
"My girlfriend."
"I'll make sure we call her for you," the trooper said. "Help is on the way and we're going to get you out of here. Just hang on, okay?"
"Okay."
The trooper picked up the wallet and opened it. "It's nice to meet you, Rebeca Mitchell. I'm Trooper Hansen."
"Beca," Beca said. "Everyone calls me Beca."
"Alright, Beca," Trooper Hansen said. "Everyone calls me Dave. I'm going to leave you for a minute."
Dave started to back out of the car but stopped when he felt Beca's hand on his arm.
"Please don't go, Dave. I, I don't want to die alone."
Dave saw the tears in Beca's eyes and gave her a gentle smile. "I'm not going anywhere and you're not going to die."
Dave remained laying on his stomach half in/half out of the car. "So, what do you do, Beca?"
"I'm a music producer."
"Oh, my God. You're that Beca Mitchell. I love what you did with P!nk's last album."
"P!nk? Really?" Beca asked with a slightly raised eyebrow and Dave laughed.
"My daughter loves her," Dave said.
Dave heard some noise and heard Mike yell "Down here!"
"Looks like we're ready to get you out of here."
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
"Looks like an accident," Jesse muttered to himself as traffic slows down considerably.
Traffic was moving slowly and as Jesse was passing the scene, he glanced over and saw a bunch of firemen coming up the hill with a stokes basket. His heart stopped when he saw a mass of brown hair. Could it be?
"Oh, my God!" Jesse yelled and pulled his car over to the side. He jumped out and ran towards the ambulance that they were putting the victim in. An officer grabs him before he can reach it.
"Sir, please get back in your car," the officer said as Jesse struggled with him. It was Trooper Hansen.
"I think that's my friend," Jesse said with tears in his eyes. "Her name is Beca Mitchell."
"Beca Mitchell?," Trooper Hansen asked. Jesse nodded. "It's her." Jesse goes limp and the trooper held him up. "She's alive, okay? Did you hear me? She's alive and they are going to take her to Atlanta Medical. Do you want to ride in the ambulance with her."
Jesse nods his head and the trooper hurries him over to the ambulance. "This guy is a friend of the Ms. Mitchell's and he wants to ride to the hospital with her."
"Get in," the EMT tells Jesse.
Jesse hops in and sits down near the back. He watches as another EMT is placing bandages on Beca's head and leg. Her left eye is swollen shut and her left arm is immobilized.
Jesse pulls out his phone and looks at it. He is dreading making this phone call but knows he has to. He changes his mind and pulls up another number.
"Hey, it's Jesse," Jesse said when his call was answered. "I need you to do me a favor."
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
Aubrey and Chloe are sitting on the sofa now and Chloe's leg is bouncing up and down. She is biting her lip and wringing her hands. They both jump up in surprise when there is a knock on the door. Chloe swallows and rushes to the door and opens it.
"Amy?" Chloe looks at their blonde friend. "What are you doing here?"
"Jesse called and asked me to come take you to the hospital," Amy said.
Aubrey caught Chloe before she hit the floor. Amy reached for and knelt in front of Chloe.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I thought Jesse had called you," Amy said. "Beca's alive. They found her car and Jesse was in the ambulance with her. I thought he called you."
"It's okay, Amy," Aubrey said. She gets Chloe to look at her. "Let's go to the hospital."
Chloe's face is pale but she nods her head and Amy helps them up. Aubrey grabs everything they need and hurries out to the car with Amy.
~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~ ~25 Days~
"Did you find it?," Beca asked when Jesse walked into her hospital room the next morning.
"Right where you said it would be," Jesse said and handed the small box to her. "Are you going to do it here?"
"Yes," Beca said. Beca turned her to look behind Jesse. "Where's Aubrey?"
"She's talking to Chloe," Jesse said. "They should be in shortly."
"Are you going to do it here?," Aubrey asked.
"Yes," Chloe said. "If nothing else, Beca's accident taught me that we shouldn't put off getting what we want because it could all be gone in an instant."
Aubrey and Chloe enter Beca's room and Beca smiles at them. They move to the right side of Beca's bed so she can see them. Chloe sits on the edge of the bed and leans down to kiss Beca. Aubrey sits in a chair near the end of the bed.
"Merry Christmas, Becs!"
"Merry Christmas, Chlo," Beca said and looked over Chloe's shoulder. "Merry Christmas to you guys as well."
Jesse and Aubrey responded with a "Merry Christmas" of their own. Jesse looked at Aubrey and said, "Why don't we go get a cup of coffee and let these two talk."
"Nope," Aubrey said. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Aubrey," Jesse said nodding his head toward the door.
"No, Jesse," Beca said. "It's alright. You guys stay. Anything I need or want to say to Chloe can be said in front of you guys."
"I agree," Chloe said looking back at her best friend.
"Okay, then," Jesse said and sat in a chair next to Aubrey.
Beca looked at Chloe and smiled. "You know I love you, right?"
"I know. And you know I love you, right?"
"I do." Beca took Chloe's hand and held it. "You were with me. In the car. I saw you sitting in the passenger seat, and you talked to me. It's what kept me going."
"Oh, Becs," Chloe said as a tear fell from her eye. "I will always be with you. I'm never going to leave you. I told you that early on in our relationship. I meant it then, and I mean it now."
"That's exactly what you said in the car," Beca said teary-eyed. "That's why I want to let you know that I will always be with you as well." Beca took the ring box she had been hiding under her left hand and held it up with her right.
Chloe let out a gasp. "Wait!" Beca looked at her and Chloe reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out an identical ring box.
"Oh, my God!" Beca couldn't help the laugh that escaped. "I guess this means that you want to marry me?"
"It does," Chloe said through her tears. "I guess this means you want to marry me, too?"
"It most definitely does," Beca said teary-eyed as well. "Let's do this right."
Beca fumbled with the ring box as she used her left hand to hold it down while opening it with her right. She finally got the ring out and noticed Chloe had done the same. They both held up their rings and looked at the other.
"Will you marry me?"
Song Used: Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) by Darlene Love. [The version that Anna Kendrick sang with Darlene Love on Jimmy Fallon]