Chapter 32

Beca's POV

6 years old.

"I'm going to get you," a voice teases and I laugh, running away. Tripping over my feet, I stumble and hide behind a tree. When I lean over to look around it, strong hands grip my waist, tickling me.

"No, stop." My stomach hurts and when the tears start to flow down my face, the hands stop and he sets me on the ground. He lets out a loud 'Oomph' as he plops down beside me.

"How are you doing B?" He asks and I pout, looking at the ground as he references my meltdown earlier. Mommy and Daddy told me that he's going away and I won't see him again. Of course when they told me that, I ran out.

"Why do you get to go? I want to go with you."

"Because I'm older than you," he pulls me onto his lap.

"That's not fair. You're only…" I trail off. "How old are you again?" He laughs.

"I'm 14 and you can't come because I'm going to boarding school."

"I don't want you to leave," I cry, wrapping my arms around his neck. Tears shine in his eyes and he smiles.

"I don't want to either, but there are some things you don't need to know. Not yet."

"Like what?" He sighs.

"Like who you are and what things mean."

"You'll come back for me, right?" He grabs my shoulders and makes me look him in the eyes.

"You're my little bumble bee, right?" I nod. "And what about me? Who am I?"

"You're my big bear." Bear nods and grins.

"That's right. Now, bears love honey and bees make honey. Bears rely on honey. So I have to come back for you because I love you. You are what I live for B. Understand?"

"I think so," I lie but really, I just know that he loves me and I love him. "Bye bye Bear."

"Bye bye B. I'll be back." And with that, he's gone.

Slowly, my eyes flutter open and for once, I don't groan from the sunlight. The dream or memory still rages through my mind. How could I have forgotten that? Forgotten about him? My brother. My bear.

"Babe? You okay?" Chloe yawns, stretching out beside me. I nod robotically and she props up on her elbow, looking down at me. Her beauty still takes my breath away and every time I see her, it's like falling in love all over again.

"Seriously what's wrong?"

"Why do you think something's wrong?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Because I usually wake up when you start cursing the sun for waking you up. You were silent though so something has to be bothering you."

"I had a dream. Well, more like I remembered something from my past, something I should never have forgotten."

"That's been happening though, hasn't it?" I nod, knowing that she's right. Ever since I died, my mind seems sharper and occasionally, I remember something that I had completely forgotten. It still seems unreal that I could have forgotten someone so important though. Even when Chloe had mentioned him before, I couldn't remember.

"What'd you remember this time?"

"My brother," I whisper. "I don't understand how I forgot him." Chloe is silent for a moment before speaking.

"It might be because of your parents' deaths. It was such a traumatic experience for you that your mind decided to push some things away. When you died, your mind literally did a reset and was able to adapt to the trauma better which explains all the reimbursed memories."

"How are you so smart?" I place a hand on Chloe's cheek and she shrugs.

"I'm just that great."

"Wow! Chloe, you've been hanging around me way too much. That ego is starting to take over." I laugh and Chloe smirks, moving over to straddle me.

"Maybe," she whispers, kissing my face and neck slowly. "You've just been hanging around me too much."

"Yeah?" I manage to gasp. "You know, now... that I... think about it,... you're.. Right." Chloe stops kissing me and rests her hands firmly on my cheeks.

"Just shut up and kiss me."

"Hmmm," I tease. "I'm not so sure about that. I can't be tainted by you."

"Beca," Chloe whines and I laugh, flipping her over until I lay on top of her.

"Screw it. I'm in it with you too deep now to let that stop me. In fact, it's my turn to taint you with something….naughty." Chloe's giggles ring through my ears as I do exactly what I said I would.

…..

I walk to my car, exhausted from work. Usually I walk out of the station practically dancing, but today was different. Everything seemed to go wrong. My phone rings and when I see that it's Chloe calling, my mood instantly brightens.

"Hey babe. What's up?"

"You still at work?" I tell her yes. "I just noticed that you're running a little late and wanted to check, make sure everything is alright." I unlock my car, sighing.

"Thanks. It was just a bad day"

"Really? What happened?"

"I don't know. It just seemed off."

"Beca, you shouldn't ignore that feeling. Especially in our case."

"I know, I know. It's probably nothing though." My head falls against the seat with a thud as the events today flood my mind. The equipment seemed to stop working and multiple records broke today, all because of me. I kept tripping and doing everything wrong. I know that it's because of the feeling that I have, but I refuse to believe that it's because of anything. Chloe and I have been through so much. Can't we just get one fucking break?

"Becs? Where'd you go?"

"Sorry. I zoned out."

"Hopefully not while you're driving," Chloe nervously laughs and I curse myself for worrying her.

"No, I'm still sitting in the parking lot."

"Wow! It really must've been a bad day since you're not rushing home to see me." I laugh, knowing that she's spot on.

"Yeah, but I'll be home as soon as I can. You know what? Why don't we go out tonight? I want to take you to dinner."

"That was random but hell yeah. I'll get changed and be ready for you." Laughing, I tell her I love her and then hang up. This night is certainly looking up. As I pull out of the parking lot, I think about the first time I met Chloe. I was having such a shitty day until I saw her and when she flirted with me, I knew I was a goner. How did I get so lucky?

I'm so distracted by the memory that I don't notice when a van pulls up beside me, in the wrong lane until they slam into me.

"What the fuck?" I scream, trying to get a good look into their tinted windows and keep the car straight. They swerve and once again slam into me, this time followed by the sound of screeching metal as the vehicles collide. What is this fucking idiot doing? It's like they're purposely trying to hit me. Either that or they're drunk as fuck.

I wave, trying to signal for them to stop, but instead they ram their van against my car and this time, I'm not prepared. My car starts spinning and no matter how I turn the wheel or hit the brakes, it doesn't stop. Finally, my car starts to slow but the van hits me again, speeding it up again. This time though, my car rolls and everything seems to go in slow motion.

The windows shatter and glass flies everywhere, sinking into anything it can. Including my skin. Metal crunches together, making the door crush into me and I cry out in pain. The wheel pushed up against my chest, pressing down until it's almost too hard to breathe. When the car rolls again, my head slams back causing stars to cloud my vision.

….dizziness and nausea roll through my body like tumbleweeds and my eyelids flutter, suddenly too heavy to keep open. Everything feels too tight like I'm packed into a can of sardines. My ears ring and everything seems slightly muted. Footsteps seem to get closer as I seem to get further….

….My eyes open to find boots standing outside my window and I frown when I realize that they're on the ceiling. Shaking my head and instantly regretting it because of the throbbing sensation, I realize that I'm actually upside down. The boots scrape against the road, sending pieces of glass my way and I close my eyes. Darkness threatens to take over….

….The boots are gone and replaced by a face covered with a mask. My gaze moves over to the radio that the person clutches and I can vaguely hear the words through the loud ringing in my ears.

"-ve subject 4. I repeat, we have subject 4 in custody." Subject 4? Are they talking about my? What the hell is going on? I groan as a sudden wave of pain shoots through my head and this time, I will the darkness to take over….

...Agony hits me in waves as I drift in and out of consciousness. Several times, I'm awaken by the sound of metal creaking and men shouting. My heart speeds up each time, reminding me that I'm still alive. Since dying, I have to constantly stop for a second and focus on my heart beating, just to make sure that I'm actually here.

"Hurry up! The cops will be here any second!" A loud voice booms, making my head pound even more. There's an accent to it that I can't place and before I can figure it out, darkness takes over once again….

….Bright lights blind me and once my eyes adjust, all I can see is white. When I try to move my head, I'm shocked to find that I can't. Something is holding me back. The white reminds me of a hospital so I assume that that's where I am and call out for Chloe. My voice is unheard in the sea of urgent voices around me.

"H-hello? M-my n-name is B-Beca M-M-Mitchell." With each word, my chest aches, making it hard to breathe. Blinking my eyes clear more and I strain to make out the blurry figures in my peripheral vision. Why is nobody saying anything? Why aren't they helping me? Where the hell am I?

"C-Chloe!" My voice rasps and I slowly get louder until I'm screaming. "CHLOE! CHLOE!"

"Shut her up." There's some shuffling and then a pinch in my neck before my voice fades and everything goes dark.

A/N- And the trouble begins!