The hospital released Beca back out and into the wild two days later.

She had a helpful nurse pull her into the clothes that Chloe had brought from her condo while Chloe herself went downstairs to gather the release forms.

She had to say, she was really freaking glad to be going home. She didn't have a hospital phobia or anything like that, no bad memories of watching Granny die, but they weren't exactly fun places to be either and the food was, well, why would you give something that bad to sick and injured people? Not all clichés needed to be true! Maybe Chloe would be willing to stop on the way back to the condo for a cheeseburger. A little bit of grease sounded amazing.

She laughed a little into her empty room because she already knew that wouldn't be true. Beca had been in a car accident; Chloe was going to force healthy things. Well. She wasn't going to eat kale. No matter how much Chloe tried. She drew the freaking line at kale.

"What's so funny?" Chloe's bright face came around the corner, a folder in her hand.

"What? Nothing, I was just thinking - nothing. Uuuuh, gimmie."

She spent a moment signing her name repeatedly before handing them back to the person who wasn't required by hospital policy to be wheeled everywhere they went.

"Are you hungry?"

"Oh my god, yeees." Beca groaned.

"Can I make you something?"

Beca's face fell, "There's no chance you mean a burger and a giant glass of Jack, is there?"

Chloe just beamed, "Not even a little bit. I'm serious Bec, you gotta get out of this lifestyle and that starts with eating better. You had like no food when I was here last time. I had to go shopping."

"Lifestyle? You say that like I'm a freaking…religion…or a sexuality…"

Chloe just grinned, tossing a flirty little wink over her shoulder as she left to turn in the paperwork.

Beca groaned, shaking her head. Death of her, that woman was going to be the death of her.

There was something different about Chloe for the last few days, something open - free, maybe?

She had felt the difference in her best friend when she had been out here before. It was true her Chloe-ese was a little weak right now after a two-year absence but she had seen it. The current Chloe had felt older, a bit beaten down in comparison to the girl she had known, but was it just Beca or were her curls bouncing higher now, her smile wider - all of that jazz?

Maybe it was her revelation from a few nights before.

That'll - yeah, that would probably do it.

Beca had to gingerly lay back on the bed the moment the thought crossed her mind, her hands in her hair and breathing like a woman in labor, fighting her suddenly topsy-turvy stomach. She still couldn't fucking believe it. Maybe it was the pain meds; maybe it wasn't real at all because that would make so much more sense than Chloe saying she was a lesbian. Things like that didn't happen, that was like winning the lottery or being struck by lightning.

But god, if it were true….what the hell would that mean...what the hell did that mean? What did that mean...for her?

She felt...kind of stuck now knowing that Chloe was gay. Did this mean she could have a shot with her? Could she make a move? Only, she was the best friend so no, right? But...all of her dreams could come true...but no? Yes? No…? Honestly...the thought was a little terrifying...being with Chloe would be a really big deal. A really big fucking awesome deal.

Was it kind of high school to think of it that way? Yeah, it totally was and she needed to stop it. Chloe was still a married woman, still Mrs. Nicholas Cavanaugh and above all else, Beca was her best friend. Automatic friend zone, right? Cuz um...right? Her hands pressed against her sore temples as she let out a groaning, "Oh my god."

Yes. Friendzone yes.

Changed nothing.

Though - she blew out a puff of air - the thought of Chloe with another woman - okay, she might die. Yup, she might fucking die. Already she had to deal with the fact that her first kiss hadn't been...but no, the world wasn't that kind. She couldn't even - no - but there was a chance, right? There was a chance that one day Chlo would - date. No, there was more than a chance, it was freaking probable. She couldn't stay married, not now. But…Fuuuuuck! She couldn't believe this.

A Few Nights Before

"Okay, what aren't you telling me here? I mean, I would be a little pissed if my husband was fucking some twenty-two year old-"

"It's because I'm kind of gay."

"secretary. I mean how big of a stereotype ca – wait, what?"

With a little yip, Chloe's hands flew to cover her mouth like she had just said something dirty, or had another moment of accidentally making that bass noise; the one that had kept slipping out until she learned to control it. "Oh my god, that's the first time I've said that out loud." Chloe's face was still wet with tears but suddenly Beca could see exhilaration there too, "That was terrifying and kind of exciting!"

Beca wasn't - she didn't - what? Words, she was hearing words but the words were not making sense, "Hold on. Back the hell up for a second there, lady. What the hell do you mean you're kind of gay? That doesn't even - I'm the secretly gay one. I was secretly gay for years. You don't get to just walk in here and take my title. What do you mean you're gay? Chloe Beale isn't gay - that used to be one of my main problems in life." She was rambling. Crap, she was rambling.

"I don't know for sure, I guess. I've just been kind of wondering for a while now. No, not wondering. I know - for sure - but...you know that moment when you have a word on the tip of your tongue and it finally, finally pops out of your mouth?"

"Elaborate." Beca could think of a few ways to help Chloe be 'sure'. Fuck! No, Beca, no! Stop it! Crap! Her hand went to her forehead, bracing against it.

"I met this woman...last year…and…some things happened."

"Some things?" That little smile on Chloe's face was fucking enchanting. "As in - some things or some thangs?"

"No, not that," Chloe giggled, making Beca's mouth fall open, "I've never - just some kissing and some…boobs."

"Some boobs?" Beca couldn't believe what she was hearing, nor could she believe the embarrassed smile spreading across Chloe's face.

"Boobs are awesome."

For the first time since - she didn't know how long - Beca couldn't stop her laughter, "Boobs are awesome. Oh my god, wha – this is so weird! Twilight zone." They stared at one another for a moment, things clicking in and out of place before Beca finally prompted, "So her boobs were awesome and…"

Chloe started to blush and hide her face, making Beca shout and smack at her with her pillow, yelling 'for the love of god, you can't stop the story there!'

Laughing, Chloe flopped down onto her back at the foot of Beca's bed, "And, I dunno, I – I felt things – things that I hadn't felt before. Like ever."

"Like?" Was it fair that Beca was getting a little turned on? Fuck, she had been doing such a good job keeping Chloe at bay, toughen up, Bec! Maybe if Chloe would stop rubbing her stomach like that as she thought, that little habit used to drive her insane and apparently it still did. Wait. When did she get onto her bed?

"Like - I don't know - like things!" Chloe was back to blushing behind her hands.

"So…you think gay…not something a little more…I dunno, inclusive?"

"Like ever before, Bec. Not with Tom, not with Nick, not with anyone I've ever dated. I thought I knew what it felt like to be" she let out a long, shuttering breath, "turned on – but I didn't, not at all."

Aaahgh god. Chloe was - feeling things and - and she needed a moment.

"So then why are you still with Nick?"

"That question has many answers."

"Okay," she said, waiting.

Chloe's face grew serious, "Because you don't leave someone unless you know you absolutely have to, Bec."

Beca went quiet, processing the double meaning, the promise and the condemnation there. "Fuck! So I could have had you like ten fucking years ago?!" It was a joke, she knew it wasn't true and she didn't mean it - she just didn't know what else to say. And then Chloe answered and she needed a shower...a shower...and to become a nun … and a cigarette...and possibly …. so many other things.

Chloe bit her lip, grinning up at her with those sparkling eyes, "You wish! You couldn't handle all of this, Beca Mitchell."

Beca stared at her, unblinking, feeling one long, insistent pull in her lower belly as she pictured... She could feel her blush start at her throat, slowly rising up her neck, over her cheeks and into her hairline before Beca huffed, forcing air into her unwilling lungs, "God you've always said shit like that but it's so totally different now!"

Chloe just winked so Beca groaned and buried her face in her pillow.


"Okay, we're good to go." Chloe called, appearing in the doorway of her hospital room, "You ready?"

"So much yes!" She already had a cigarette in her hand to prove it.

The ride to her condo was a fairly quiet one, Chloe humming as she drove. Something changed when Chloe dropped the 'G' word, something that Beca couldn't put her finger on. It was like it had broken the corner off of her offish guard or something. Maybe it was just that she could feel that Chloe wasn't planning on leaving yet. She didn't know how long Chloe would be staying but she knew that the woman wasn't planning on getting into her car and driving off that evening.

Maybe this - maybe this was Beca's chance. She had driven herself nuts after Chloe left last time, agonizing over the fact that she hadn't taken advantage of the time with Chlo before she left. She had been a moody bitch for a solid two weeks, even Hunny had stopped coming over.

Maybe she just needed to take the next few days, hang out, heal, enjoy it, and then they both could go back to their lives, hopefully with less of a sour taste in their mouths.

She wondered what Chloe's life would look like now. What kind of women would she date? Who would she settle down with? What would she be like? God, Chloe as a lesbian...all of the gay universe should be celebrating this one.

"Aaaaah, crazyville!" Beca suddenly cried, letting the car know exactly where her thoughts had been, "So what was it like kissing a girl for the first time instead of a guy?" Beca asked, grinning around her bitten lip. She still remembered that, being shocked by the difference.

"Well, it wasn't my first time, Bec, you know that. I did kiss Aubrey once - and Stacie and I made out pretty - intensely."

Beca's head hit the passenger window with a thump, making Chloe laugh. Yeah, she was well aware of how many not-Beca-Bellas Chloe had kissed, "Okay, but like, really."

"Better," her voice coy and teasing.

Fuuuuuuuuck.

"What did she look like? Where was it?"

"At the 2015 Bellas reunion. I-"

"Are you fucking serious, Chlo! You got to second base with a Bella?" Whyyyyyy - she was a Bella - she was a….not guy….why not her? Whyyyyy?! She could hear she was whining in her head but she didn't even care because whyyyyyyy was fate so cruel? She would give her left tit to kiss Chloe – just once. And not in the way that Chloe used to give her those sloppy goodbye kisses but a real one – with tongues and – fucck. "Do I know her?"

"Probably."

"Chloe!"

Chloe threw her a far too adorable for life little guilty face, "She's married."

"So?"

Chloe burst into laughter.

"Was she one of our Bellas?" Beca tried. She had been questioning her the entire ride home but she was getting nowhere. "Dude! You have to at least tell me if she was one of our Bellas!"

"Except for Amy, none of our Bellas are married." She said in a placating voice. Beca stared so Chloe laughed, "No, it wasn't Amy."

"Then who? Come on, you have to tell me!"

Chloe's nose just went up in the air, "Nope. But it was awesome."

"Gaaah, god damn it." She dragged her feet, following Chloe to the kitchen. "So where are we on that burger and a glass of whiskey? I know a place we can order from if we - oh, come on!" Beca cried, enjoying the amusement her moaning was pulling from Chloe, "I just got out of the hospital!"

"Exactly! So how about a sandwich and a glass of water? Not the best dinner exactly but you have no food."

Beca huffed and Chloe beamed an 'I win' smile.

"Why don't you go upstairs and change into something comfy? I'll make us something to eat."

"You're really not going to tell me which Bellas boobs you touched?"

"Nope."

"Fine, miss I've-been-secretly-gay-for-like-thirty-years," Beca grumbled as she started up the stairs. This was going to take some getting used to. "Queen of the closet!" she cried over her shoulder, listening and loving the tinkle of laughter that came from her kitchen.

The stairs hurt. Her body still hurt. Actually, there was a good chance that her body hurt more today than it had yesterday which was super fun; especially knowing that she did officially still have some of the hospital's painkillers in her so it was only going to get worse.

Sweats did sound nice, though.

She pulled her hair up into a messy bun and groaned, pulling her shirt over her head. The spasm of pain through her side and back was so bad that she sat with a thump on her bed, panting, eyes tearing. "Fuck, oh fuck ow! Fuck!"

The strained muscle, right. What had she been thinking? She couldn't raise her arms higher than her shoulders. Okay, she would just live in this shirt from now on or something. She pulled the opposite direction but "Of course!" It was stuck. What the hell was it stuck on? She pulled again and her side gave a sharp scream making her moan.

Fuck. She was really stuck. Oh god, ow. It was starting to really hurt. Fuck.

She gave another yank and cried out, spots blurring her vision.

Crap. Crap now what?

"Chlo?" she tried, her cheeks flushing. "Chloe!"

There was the sound of feet flying up the stairs two at a time, "What's wrong? What ha-" Chloe started to laugh.

"It's not funny!"

Silence and then, "Maybe a little funny."

"Help me!"

She felt warm hands touch her extended arms, pulling her back to her feet, making her moan again.

"Oh! I'm sorry."

Beca waited for a second, but nothing happened.

"You have so many new tattoos since I've seen you like this."

Really? Right now?

"Chloooooeeeee!" But the cry cut off into a sharp gasp as she felt gentle fingers trace along her rib, just under the cup of her bra. She froze, her heart instantly hammering in her temples. She knew what Chloe was seeing, the words under her fingertips, 'ghost town and haunted love, fire away, fire away, ricochet', she knew exactly how Chloe was going to take it - and she wouldn't be wrong either.

The fingers moved, trailing the length of the tattoo again. "Ghost town and haunted love?"

Chloe's touch was making her mouth go dry. She could feel her stomach muscles dancing, twitching and jumping and she was not convinced that Chloe couldn't see that. See, this was why she needed to stay away from Chloe. Far away.

Oh god. What was wrong with her? This wasn't that big of a deal. Stop Beca, just stop feeling that - everywhere.

Her whole body gave a spasm as a nail traced the words, "Haunted love?" Chloe's voice was soft but in it Beca could hear hills and valleys of meaning, her own private haunting.

She cleared her throat, "Yeah…Titanium. That's, uh, your uh, 'lady jam', right? Seriously, you wanna give me a hand?"

She felt Chloe's hand leave her skin and both celebrated and mourned the loss.

It only took Chloe a second to free the shirt so Beca could pull it off.

By the time she did, Chloe was already gone.

Beca just stared at the vacant spot in front of her, "Yikes."

'****'

That had always been one of her favorite lines, the line she could never resist singing along with even if she had been silent the whole song - that was probably why Beca had noticed the small line in the first place; most didn't.

Haunted love?

Was she responsible for that?

Everyone had that one love, the one that changed them forever and not for the better; the one that built a wall around their heart, breaking them and gluing them together all at once; the one that bled into all future relationships, influencing your movements and your reactions whether you wanted them to or not.

Had she inadvertently been that for Beca?

Haunted love.

It sent chills down her spine.

She was in the kitchen just finishing up their simple dinner when Beca came down the stairs. She could see Beca's hesitation, her want to run, her worry that perhaps Chloe wasn't okay, her silent acknowledgment that though they would not be discussing it, they both knew what the tattoo meant, they both understood the placement, so close to her heart.

It was strange to think that Beca probably intended for her to never see the tattoo, never see her scantily clad like that again because their friendship had been, for all intents in Beca's mind, over.

Chloe wasn't.

She wasn't okay.

It killed her to know that she had hurt Beca, even if it hadn't been her fault - exactly, even if she had never meant to.

But there was no way she would show Beca that.

"Hey!" She gave her a wide grin, "I'm starved."

She watched Beca's face, feeling her read her with the strength of all of their years of friendship. She had always had a hard time lying to Beca; she wasn't great at hiding her emotions so she went on the defensive. "What's wrong? Are you in pain?"

Beca scoffed, stepping forward, "It's almost like I smashed my car into a center divider."

Chloe frowned, handing her a plate, "That's not funny."

Beca gave her a small smirk and Chloe knew she was in the clear.

"I think," Chloe said, heading to the living room where she had made Beca a nest of blankets, "that you should sit down."

"Oh god, yes please." Beca crawled in despite the summer warmth.

Biting her lip to keep her face empty, Chloe handed her the plate and started in on her own. "So. You just got out of the hospital for a drunk driving accident and the first thing you want to do is drink. Should I be worried about you, Beca?"

Beca scoffed, "Noooo, I didn't mean it like that. I just – having a drink would be relaxing. I find it relaxing."

"So what I should be worrying about is your relaxation habits?"

"Err."

"Do you have Netflix?"

"Hmmmdfmoieahaaahnn." Beca said around a mouthful of hastily taken sandwich, "Whaaf?"

Cute. She had never understood how someone she knew was so totally sexy - could also be so cute. Adorable even. What was the term? Adorkable. That had always seemed so fitting for Beca, though she wasn't sure the woman herself would agree.

Beca cleared her throat, taking a large swallow, "I said I have it but I don't watch it very often. Why?"

"Relaxation."

"Oh." Beca's plate suddenly became very interesting, "I was uh, I was thinking that uh, I kinda need to go soon. I should probably erm, track down P.J. and check in with my clients."

Chloe nodded, giving her a smile, "At The Royal?"

"I think I'll start at work but I'll probably end up there, yeah." Beca heaved a great sigh.

Chloe might not be very good at hiding her emotions from Beca but she had become very good at controlling her face, thanks to Marcy. She was suddenly thankful for all the little insults, all the digs, and comments because she didn't think that in that moment she would have been able to stop her face from showing her thoughts. Why did that idea scare her so much? She didn't understand it but it did, grabbing her heart and wrapping it in a vise. It wasn't logical, but she suddenly wanted to grab Beca, wrap her in a warm blanket and tuck her away, somewhere safe, somewhere far away from the drinking and the running. "You weren't kidding when you said that you go every night, were you?"

"Uhhh, yeah," Beca shot her a side glance, "P.J.'s nephew owns it or something and I don't know, it just works."

"And all of the clients like that?"

There was a small silence followed by an uncomfortable laugh and a quick, "Who doesn't like a good party? I had like ten calls from Dave yesterday and I haven't heard anything from EZ which is probably bad. I, uh, I haven't checked in yet, but I should go soonish."

Well. They would see about that. "Alright. Will you show me how to work the TV anyway?" she asked with a small beseeching smile.

"Uh sure." In her surprise at Chloe's lack of resistance, Beca took a huge bite of the sandwich, nearly choking as she grabbed the remotes. "Wofneeeen doapaanlo maerraowna."

"Right," Chloe laughed, not understanding at all, "I'll keep that in mind."

Beca rolled her eyes.

Once the screen was up Chloe typed in the title she was looking for and, cuddling into the back of the couch, pressed play.

She just let Beca do her own thing, checking her phone, reading through emails as Chloe watched, nibbling at her sandwich. She knew there was a chance that any moment Beca would get up, change and leave and the thought sent her stomach bubbling. She wasn't sure why; Beca didn't even have a car right now. It couldn't happen again. She was just being silly.

It took a few minutes, but eventually she felt Beca move, looking up at the screen in amusement.

Chloe took another bite, pointedly ignoring her.

Beca's phone chimed, calling her attention away again but soon it was back up, "Dude, what is this?"

"Oh, just a show about another adorable redhead."

Beca laughed, eyes back on her phone, "Adorable, huh?"

"That's right. It's a ginger thing." Beca let out an amused snort. "I wish I could pull off that shade of yellow, look at how cute that sweater is!"

"You look great in yellow, Chlo."

She had said it so quickly, so lost in her phone that Chloe could tell to Beca it was simply a truth. Her chest gave a light little fluttering as she turned back to the TV to hide her blush. She was still thinking about that when Beca started to laugh.

"Oh my god, this is hilarious! Dude can sing!"

"I know, right?"

She couldn't help but to feel a little smug as Beca reached for her water and absentmindedly deposited her phone on the table beside her plate, chuckling at an on-screen joke.

Two thirty-minute episodes later and Beca looked like Christmas had come early, holding her sore side as she laughed.

Chloe was sure she was floating somewhere between earth and cloud nine. This was what Beca needed, a whole lot more laughter. Laughter heals the soul as well as the body. Chloe…she wanted to make Beca laugh. She wanted to help Beca laugh.

"How do they come up with this? This show is so weird but so funny. How have I never heard of this?"

"I'm not sure! Everyone in Henderson loves it."

"Well - that's because it's Henderson, what else is there to do?"

"Hey!"

Beca laughed as Chloe threw her an overly dramatic glare, pursing her lips and fluffing her hair. It was nice to tease like this - normal - almost like old times.

Her phone chimed again and Beca checked it with a sigh, "Okay, EZ is gonna be there tonight, of course he is, what was I thinking? You uh, you wanna come?"

"Sure." Chloe laid back on the couch, her head turning to face Beca so she could give her the best puppy dog eyes she could muster, "Can we watch one more episode though?"

"Yeah!"

Chloe clicked it on.

When the episode was done Beca sighed, moving to get up before letting out a small sound of pain and cupping her side, "You know what, it's still early. Let's watch one more."

"Okay," was all Chloe said.

When the episode was over she let it auto play to the next, noticing Beca had wrapped the blanket around herself.

Halfway through the episode Chloe turned to make a joke to see that Beca, head resting against the side of the sectional and blanket tucked around her face, was sleeping peacefully.

Her words caught and warmth flooded her chest as she watched the woman take a deep breath and sleep on.

Biting her lip, she reached over and lightly pushed the blanket away from her face. Beca's nose twitched but she slept on. Chloe hesitated and then carefully let her finger run down her cheek. She really was beautiful. She was so lucky to be here, sitting beside her again. She had almost lost this.

Taking one of the blankets from the floor she cuddled in, laying her head just beside Beca's thigh.

Maybe it was only one night, maybe it didn't count for much.

But Beca was here, beside her, sleeping safely.

Chloe sighed, content, her fingers tracing the spot over her heart.


Her first thought as she rose to consciousness was that the dinner timer was going off and she had fallen asleep in the rocking chair in the nursery again.

She groaned as the buzz went off for the second time, forcing open her eyes, only to let out the sound again. That's right, she was in Beca's living room.

Ow.

She sat up, brushing her hair back from her face and feeling her back pop. Was she too young to say that she was getting too old for these types of sleeping positions? Goodness, she needed a good night sleep in a bed soon. She didn't know how long she was staying, if she was staying; honestly she was avoiding those thoughts right now, but perhaps she could move up to one of the guest rooms that night.

The buzzer went off again and this time it was Beca, sprawled out on the couch where she had fallen asleep the night before, who jumped.

"What?" she croaked into the morning air, as though someone had called her name. She let out a startled cry followed immediately by a yelp as her hands went to cover her eyes - only to drop again with an 'oh'.

Chloe watched, curious, "No hangover?"

"No..." Beca said confused, "The hell?"

"We fell asleep, I guess. How do you feel? Do you need some Ibuprofen?"

"Oh god, yes, please. Sore. Oh shit!" Beca groaned, reaching for her phone but before she could grab it the doorbell went off again, "Ooooh shit-fuck-shit!" She jumped up as best she could, which was really more like a hobble and sped to the door.

Chloe stood, gathering blankets, her mind occupied. She hadn't checked her phone all day yesterday, knowing anyone calling was not someone she wanted to speak to. She wondered how many missed calls she had. She was just going to check when she heard Beca cry, "P.J.! Hi! Uh, how are you?"

"How am I?" The round man pushed in past her, heading inside.

"Errrr, P.J. this is my friend Chloe. Chloe, this is Paul John of – err – 'Paul John'."

"Nice to meet you, sir." She shook his hand, "Can I get you a cup of coffee?" She flashed a bright smile and the obviously angry man seemed to stumble, slightly disarmed.

"Um. Sure. Thank you."

He opened his mouth to begin yelling again and Chloe cut him off, "Cream or sugar?"

"Uh, black please, little darlin'."

With a nod and a glance for her best friend, she headed to the kitchen. She knew this visit was what Beca had been dreading. She had jumped every time someone had entered her hospital room and Chloe was sure it was because she had been waiting for P.J. and his reprimand.

"Amanda walked."

Chloe twitched. Oh noooooo. Amanda, that had been the blonde, right? Oh noooo! This was bad!

"What?" Beca's voice shrieked.

"That's right, she walked!"

"After everything I - ugggh, my god, you're fucking kidding me! I can't even - I-"

"She said that 'Starlight' could do 'more' for her. What does that mean to you, Bex? Huh?"

"Okay, P.J., I ran my ass off! I did."

"Really? Because it looks to me like you got a little too drunk and wrecked your car which took you and 'Moment One' out of the negotiations!"

Chloe winced, she knew she shouldn't be listening but she wasn't sure she could have avoided it, even if she wanted to.

"I know. I made a mistake, a huge fucking mistake. It - it won't happen again, I'm sorry."

"Damn right it won't happen again! I spent six hours on the phone for you yesterday. Six hours! I shouldn't be spending six hours doing anything for you! You're not a client!"

"You didn't have to do that, P.J."

"Yes I did! You know why I did? Because my senior assistant crashed her car because she was drunker than Lindsey Lohan!"

The chewing out was long and brutal and while Chloe stayed away, giving them space, she wished she could help. Then again, maybe this was a good thing.

Was there someone who could do this for Hunny?

Finally she knew the coffee was going to get cold so she poured three cups and slipped into the living room.

"Here you go, P.J. - Bec." She handed Beca her coffee with just a splash of cream.

"Thank you, sweetheart," P.J. nodded, still glaring at Beca. Chloe frowned, that was what Marcy called her.

She gathered her own cup and took a seat on the far side of the living room with her phone. She did indeed have a number of missed calls, seven from Nick and two from Marcy. Had he told his mother? Why was Marcy calling? She rarely called her; she usually chose instead to simply show up unannounced.

P.J. picked up speed again, making Chloe cringe and glance to Beca as he shouted, "What the hell were you thinking, Bex? I hired House Bex because of her reputation, because Kendra loved your song so much, because you were doing that singing thing internationally. I promoted 'House fucking Bex' because of her ability to balance work and the party."

The poor woman's face had gone white as she stared up at P.J. taking the chewing out as it was given, and boy was it given. She stayed strong, open and receptive, showing no weakness, simply listening to P.J. until he yelled, "I thought you wanted your own studio, but you know what, I don't think that is the best idea. This isn't how a studio is run! So go ahead and rest up, lil tiger. Don't come in for a few days, you look like shit. We don't need that bruised up face reminding everyone of what happened. We lead by example, Beca!"

Beca said nothing but there was a perceptible twitch to one of her eyes and a shake to the fingers playing with the unlit cigarette in them.

With a huff Beca's boss turned, looking for somewhere to set the cup. Chloe jumped up to take it, "Thank you, sweetheart." He gave her a kind smile, a smile too kind for someone who had just ripped her best friend apart.

"Have a good day, P.J." Chloe offered, listening to his feet cross the condo and the door close.

They both flinched when it did.

"Beca-"

But Beca's hand went out, silencing her. She shook her head, disoriented and unblinking and searched the table for her lighter. Only when the cigarette was lit did she let her hand drop. "You know what's funny?" Beca gave her a one eyed glare, "He used to tell me that I needed to party because we 'led by example'."

"Bec-"

The hand went back up again so, with a small nod Chloe gave her some space, taking the dirty cups back to the kitchen. She felt her phone begin to buzz in her back pocket and frowned, turning on the water to wash the cups.

She had no idea what to do. The phone...Nick...and his baby...she could ignore that a little longer but Beca - she needed something and she needed it now. Had she just lost her shot at the studio? Her heart ached for her; she couldn't imagine what Beca was feeling.

He couldn't have meant it, that smile he had given her was so kind. No one could have that type of kindness in them and rip someone's dream away for one mistake - even if it was a very stupid mistake.

Plus, wasn't he the one who promoted the 'you only live once' lifestyle? Beca had basically just said so and Hunny had also told her something very similar when Chloe had noticed her 'Y.O.L.O.' tattoo the first night they met. She said he loved to watch others have fun, that drugs and alcohol were welcome in the studio because it 'promoted creativity'.

Chloe was fairly sure what it actually promoted was very different.

She did not approve of Beca's actions...or Hunny's or Emily's but, the cup clattered in the drainer as she set it down a little harder than she meant to, a wave of indignation sweeping through her.

How could he promote this type of behavior and then chew her out about the consequences - the cup she had been washing flew from her hands, shattering in the sink as suddenly rock blared from the living room, kicking up at full volume.

She yelped, covering her skipping heart.

Okay...

"Ohmygod,Bec! You scared-" but she stopped trying before she even began because there was no way the woman would hear her, so instead she followed the music back to the living room. "Beca!" she cried when she saw Beca lying sprawled across the floor.

Then Beca's hand lifted to remove the cigarette from between her lips and let out a cloud of smoke.

Okay...

So Beca was lying on the floor in front of her speakers with a cigarette and a bottle of whiskey.

She supposed there were worse ways to handle the situation. She wished that Beca wouldn't, that fear, it still hadn't left from around Chloe's heart but perhaps what Beca needed now was someone to help her feel better, not to condemn her. She threw open the large back windows, letting out the cigarette smoke and then came to her, standing over Beca and giving her a little wave. Looking into Beca's pale face she saw nothing, which - did not surprise her but also didn't make her concern disappear.

"Are you okay?" she yelled.

"Peachy."

"Liar."

Beca shrugged and took a large swallow from the bottle, staring back at Chloe's incredulous face. "Here! Have a drink with me!"

Chloe took the bottle but instead asked, "Don't you want some breakfast first? Something in your stomach might be a good idea, maybe?"

"No point! Fuck it, I don't have to go to work today!"

It was downhill from there.

It started out with Beca on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, sedately smoking and drinking, Chloe watching her from just outside the patio doors.

Then as though the stress needed a physical outlet for the tension, Beca let out an agonized groan, rubbing her face and pulled herself up. Slowly she began to jump around the room to the music while Chloe sat, watching the amber liquid disappear. The more the liquid disappeared the more Beca moved, making Chloe wonder about her injuries. Still she just watched, letting Beca work through whatever she needed to, ready to catch her if it seemed as though Beca needed it.

It didn't start to make Chloe anxious until an hour later when she began to notice that Beca's bouncing was starting to have a discernable lean, as though her strained muscle was bothering her.

"Bec - Beca! Come sit! Come here! Let me give you a massage or - something."

"Uh uh!" Beca shook her head, giving her a deadened grin, "I've got to mooove! Relaxation, remember?"

"Bec-" she tried to reach for her hand but Beca jumped out of the way.

She was going to hurt herself.

Beca drained a little more of the whiskey, moving all the faster, letting her head loll this way and that on her shoulders.

"Beca, talk to me."

"Nothin' to say!" she shouted back over the music, "It's okay, it's cool. I don't need that job. I don't need to produce music! Who likes producing music anyway? I don't need music at all! Fuck it! I would be a bomb ass grocery bagger. Like - yeah - I'm so good at stacking things. Or maybe I should work at a pet store and just play with animals all day. Fuck it. I don't need to produce music anyway. I'm in L.A., strippers make bank here."

She watched Beca jump around for a while longer, dread in her stomach. She was watching Beca break; she was seeing it happen right before her eyes.

"Beca!" She finally stood, catching her hands. She took the cigarette and put it out then took the bottle and set it down, holding tight to Beca so she couldn't run off. "Bec, talk to me. Do you really think P.J. meant what he was saying or do you think he was just angry because I don't think he would have spent so much time trying to get you out of trouble if he didn't see a future with you."

Beca heaved a great sigh, letting the wall drop just a little, "I don't really know. Amanda would have been a big client and I fucked it."

"Beca-"

"No, Chlo! Don't tell me I didn't!" She tried to angrily pull away but Chloe held tight.

"Beca. You're stressed. Don't wo-"

Beca groaned, twitching in her hands, "I'm not stressed, okay?" she barked, "I'm just - really, really, tired. Like, in my soul tired."

Chloe nodded, "Let's sit-"

The doorbell went off again and just like that, the drawbridge was back up, locking down the fortress.

"Who…?"

"I called some peeps!" Beca grinned, hopping over the back of the couch and nearly taking herself out when her side gave an obvious spasm.

Okay…

She watched a crowd of people come in all laughing and clapping Beca on the back, congratulating her for her heroics.

Chloe couldn't understand it. She didn't really want to understand it.

"Hey, Chlo." Emily appeared from the crowd timidly, glancing back at Beca who hadn't seemed to notice her.

"Emily! I've been wondering about you. Where have you been? You never came back."

The girl shrugged her shoulders, going into the hug, "I had some things I needed to work out."

"Have you talked to Beca?" She knew Beca wanted to talk to her pretty badly.

"Err, no, not yet."

She nodded again, rethinking, "I'm not sure that this is the best afternoon for it."

"No," Emily frowned, watching Beca jumping up and down with a blonde man Chloe didn't know. "I can't stay long."

"Alright," Chloe smiled, sensing that there was something on Emily's mind. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah...Yeah, actually."

"Okay good. That's all that matters." She would get to it when she was ready. Chloe just watched the party move out to the patio and followed, taking the top half of a poolside chair and letting Emily sit at her feet.

"Wow, she's, uh, really going at it, isn't she?"

Chloe frowned, "Yeah, she is. P.J. came over this morning and told her that he was reconsidering his offer of the sister studio. He pretty much told her it wasn't going to happen."

"What?"

"Yeah."

"But she works her ass off for him!"

Chloe clicked her tongue, feeling that defensive anger again, "I'm not entirely sure he meant it."

They watched Beca and her friends for a little longer.

"She doesn't even seem to know I'm here." Emily frowned, picking at the seam of her jeans. "She's my best friend and she doesn't even know I'm here."

"Hey," Chloe put a hand on her arm, "don't take it personally. She doesn't know that I'm here either. I think all she knows is that bottle. "

"Yeah," Emily scoffed, "but you're like her whole world so she will always come back to you."

Chloe's hand retracted as she frowned.

"She probably hates me now."

"What? Emily, no!"

"I was supposed to be in the car with her. It was supposed to be our night to hang out, just us. Then Hunny showed up and - I shouldn't have let her go. She could have died."

"Hey!" Chloe pulled her into a hug, "This is not your fault. This is no one's fault." Except, if Chloe were being honest, he thought that maybe some of that blame was hers. She had seen that Beca was in trouble and she had just let it go. She hadn't been there for her.

"No, Chloe! You don't understand, I was supposed to ride with her! I would have gone with her because I was too high and drunk to notice the difference between okay to drive and really, really not. Then when Benji wouldn't let me get in the car it never even occurred to me to pull Beca out too. He tried to tell me but I couldn't get it. If she had died that would have been just as much on me as it would have been on her, maybe more. It was my idea to do the shots in the first place. It's always my idea to do the shots in the first place."

Emily's bluntness made her blink, surprised. She could see the torment in Emily's face, the shame, the depth of her guilt.

"Can I show you something?"

"Of course you can, sweetie."

Taking an unsteady breath Emily reached into her back pocket and pulled a small golden medallion from it, placing it in her palm.

"To thine own self be true." Chloe read, "Twenty-four hours?" she turned it over and saw a prayer she had seen before but had never grown familiar with.

"Yeah, two days now."

"Emily! That's great! I didn't - I didn't realize-"

"Yeah, it was a lot worse than anyone knew."

"Emily!" Chloe breathed, squeezing her hand, "I'm so proud of you! This is totally amazing!"

"I try to keep my spirits up and all of that but this week has been the worst of my fucking life."

She gave her another squeeze, "Is this why you haven't been around? Is this why you've been avoiding Beca? Because I think she would be proud of you too. This is amazing!"

"Honestly, yeah. Well, not this, exactly, but um, you know, well, Hunny isn't exactly a big supporter of this, the program I mean and I didn't think-"

"The ones who need it the most never are, right?"

"Yeah..."

Looking down at the small coin Chloe worried her lip, "Emily, do you - do you think this is something that Beca needs?"

The surprise was evident on her face, "Bex?"

"Right. Bex."

"Errr, Beca,"

"I'm sorry, that was rude. I didn't mean to be rude."

"No," Emily jumped, "I get it. 'Bex' is kind of a Hunny thing."

"Right."

They spent a moment staring down at the simple little medallion with so much meaning.

"I don't think so, Chloe. I wasn't the same as Beca. Did you know I was drunk the entire time you were here?"

Her eyes popped wide in surprise, "You were?"

"Kinda, yeah. And I don't mean that as in you have to be able to deceive in order to be an alcoholic; I think it looks different on everyone. I get up every morning with a drink, with four drinks. I always said it didn't matter, I'm a singer, that's what we do and it's so totally normal for this crew. Hunny loved that about me. Did you know I was the one that introduced Hunny and Beca?"

"Oh, you're the one to blame," she gave a teasing laugh.

"Yeah, Hunny and I met at a bar. We got along great."

"Wow. Emily, I had no idea. I'm so sorry I didn't realize. I feel like - I feel like I'm missing so many little details about my friends these days."

Emily was quiet for a long time watching Chloe rub her coin like a worry stone, "I don't think Beca has a substance abuse problem, I think Beca has a handling life problem. She's not happy, Chloe."

For a few minutes all that Chloe could do was frown.

"EMILY!"

They both jumped as from across the pool Beca finally noticed Chloe's company.

"Why is she walking like that?"

"She has a strained muscle in her side from the accident. The doctor said she was a breath away from ripping it completely. Air bag." Chloe said through a strained smile.

"Great. Super great."

"Isn't it?"

"Where have you been? I've been calling you!" Beca collapsed between them, throwing her arms around Emily. "You're not allowed to just disappear!"

Chloe bit her lip. Ironic. She caught Emily's eye and gave her a wink before pulling herself up and heading back to the kitchen, giving them space.

She knew her mood was dark, unusually dark. She was just…worried...about everything it felt like.

She talked with a few people she had seen at the club and a few she had never met before, declining drink offer after drink offer before she finally settled back outside, a headache blooming.

"Heeeeey, gorgeous laaaady! You look so bored!"

She looked up into Beca's face and felt some of her agitation disappear. Beca did look so much better. For the first time all day her grin was the huge, toothy, dimpled and eye twinkling one that Chloe knew so well. She wanted to stay inwardly sour, despite her happy smile, she wanted to stay worried and concerned but Beca was just so cute when she smiled like that.

"Beca, you don't find it ironic to celebrate surviving a drunk driving accident by getting drunk?"

"Pssshh, no. It's what we do here."

It's what put you in danger. But Chloe just took a sip from her cup, hiding the thought as much as possible.

Beca groaned as she plopped down, tossing her arms over Chloe's shoulders so she could lay on her back like a sloth, making Chloe grin.

Damn it, Chloe! You're upset.

"I'm sorry I'm such a dick."

Chloe's mind was blank, flustered by the sudden contact. She tried to come up with a response but she seemed to have lost the ability to - words. She loved this type of contact, Beca draped over her, her face buried in the back of her neck. She felt Beca giggle and delighted little goosebumps rose on her arms.

"I love you, nerd face."

"Whaumph-" Chloe blinked, wondering if that had been a word or not but Beca was already pulling herself up.

"Come on. Stop sitting by yourself. Come meet my friends."

She wanted to protest, but Beca was pulling her by the hand and she just couldn't resist.

She let Beca lead her around for a while, meeting all of Beca's friends. They all seemed genuinely happy to have met her, and all of them seemed to know exactly who she was.

How much did Beca talk about her? Had Hunny been telling the truth?

After the fourth person laughed and replied, "Ooooooh, Chloe…" Beca had given up, taking instead to ignoring her friends and dancing.

"Can I get you a drink or anything?" Beca called into her ear as they jumped around, laughing far more than Chloe had thought she would today.

"No, I think I'm okay for now. Can I get you anything? Are you hungry yet?"

"Nope! Are you? We can order a pizza or something. I know we still haven't gone grocery shopping."

Chloe frowned, "Why are you always so sweet to me when you're drunk? It's nice, I love it, but it kind of sucks when you're sober. Not as much as it did but, I don't know, it feels like us when you're drunk. Oh god, what does that say?"

"Drunk is truth serum!" Beca shrugged, jumping around her in circles was making Chloe dizzy.

"Okay," Chloe had to take a second to breathe around the flutter in her stomach. Did this mean that there wasn't still a small part of Beca that hated her? "If this is your 'truth' then why can't this be how things always are?"

"Harder."

Grabbing Beca and holding her still was not an easy job, she was like a child on a sugar high, "I don't understand."

Beca sighed, rubbing her side, "Uuuuuugh, because it's so hard to keep you…over there…all of the time. It's fucking exhausting."

Chloe didn't understand what she was hearing. Why did she feel like she needed to keep her distance? Beca had always been safe with her. Was this just the - other thing? "So then why do you do it?"

"Because!" Beca cried, waving her arms, "Do you have any idea what it was like? It was fucking impossible!"

"I just - I don't -" her eyes narrowed in frustration and without a word she turned, pulling Beca inside. "Sit." She shoved the flailing woman down on the couch and then took a demure seat beside her, "Now. What are you trying to say?"

"No fair! You're cheating!" Beca cried, scooting low in the cushions, barely peeking out at her over her knees.

"By asking?"

"Yeah by asking, dude!"

"Well, then I guess I am cheating."

Beca glared but Chloe just let her arm rest on the back of the couch, playing with a strand of Beca's hair, "Will you tell me? Please?"

"I dunno, it was just easier not to see you after a while I guess. I mean, Nick. Really, Chlo? Nick?"

"Heeey," Chloe chuckled lightly, "Nick is a good guy, leave him alone."

"Isn't he currently having a teenager's love child?"

"I think it's actually the other way around."

"Ooookay, whatever," Beca teased back, scoffing.

"I just still don't get it, I think. Why didn't you ever tell me? Why didn't you ever come out to me?"

"Then you would have known, right?"

"Known what?"

She just got an eyebrow raised glare in response.

"Oh."

Beca said it like it was a fact but - was it? Chloe wasn't so sure.

"So you mean to tell me," Chloe hurried on, "that you spent all of that time in the closet just so I wouldn't know that you loved me?"

Beca writhed at her words, "Do you remember the dog trainer guy?"

"The dog traine- oooooh," She frowned into a sad pout.

"Exactly, see! You freaking cried, dude! You cried for like three hours because he was like epically in love with you and you weren't interested, remember? I know you weren't homophobic or anything, you don't have a freaking hateful bone in your whole damn body, but you cried."

"To you." Chloe moaned, "Of all the people I could have cried to, I cried to you."

"Yeah, well, that was my job. I was your best friend."

"Am."

"What?"

Chloe gave her a soft smile and a thumb swipe across the chin, "You are my best friend."

Beca blushed, the grin stretching across her face slowly, "Whatever."

"No! Not whatever! That is important! And that is why you should have told me! The fact that you felt that way is awesome."

Beca just scoffed.

"Did you leave because I was pregnant?"

"Yup," the P popping off of Beca's bottom lip.

It was a small blow to the stomach, but okay, she could get passed that, "Was it the baby or-"

"Nope. Babies are good. We like babies. It was a Nick baby."

"Oh."

"But whatever, that was then, a million years before I didn't have a job and I had to move out of my condo and live in a cardboard box. Hey. If I become homeless can I come live in your garage or something?"

"He's not going to fire you. He can't."

"Why? Because you say so?"

"Exactly."

Beca laughed, falling a little ways down the cushion toward her, "I'm not sure if that will be a good enough reason for him, Chlo."

"You're good at your job, Bec. I know that. He knows that."

"Yeah," Beca's wide eyes filled with tears, "but I really fucked up."

"You made a mistake, a big one."

"And I might not be able to fix it. I'm just - I'm so fucking frustrated." She growled, kicking at an empty beer can on the table. "I'm always the one that wants to focus. You know, EZ? His crew pisses me off because they're such a distraction. We get like nothing done on a daily basis but I can't kick them out because then P.J. would be mad at me and call it a party foul or something. It's just - it's so freaking frustrating. If I wanted to be a babysitter then I would have gone to nanny school or whatever. I want to produce music, I want to be a producer but how can I do that when I can't choose the songs for Synergy's drop party and stupid fucking Clay keeps going on and on about ghetto 90's remixes?"

Chloe listened as Beca talked, watching her decompress as she let off steam. When Beca began to stress cry again Chloe pulled her to her, letting her rest her face against her shoulder as she moaned about feeling inferior, as she spilled the hopes that felt as though they were falling further and further from her grasp. Eventually Beca's head fell, resting in her lap so Chloe listened as she stroked her hair, working carefully to ease her until finally, despite the handful of people that hadn't left, she fell asleep - or passed out, Chloe didn't know.

Her mind worked as she continued to absentmindedly play with Beca's hair. She didn't know what to do. She needed advice, she needed -

She pulled out her phone, ignoring the missed calls and dialed her other best friend.

"Hey, Chlo!" Aubrey sounded cheerful on the other side of the line.

"Heeey."

"Why are you whispering?"

"I'm not."

"Um, okay Chloe, what's going on?"

"Nothing." With a huff she admitted, "Beca's asleep next to me."

"Beca? I thought that she was housebound. Did she come to vi-Chloe! Are you back in L.A.?"

"Maybe."

"Chloe!"

"What? She was hurt! She was in-"

"An accident, I heard. Why the hell are you back in L.A. Chloe? Huh? After that terrible trip? I don't understand."

"It wasn't terrible. I don't know, Aubrey, I just feel like she needs me right now."

"Chloe…"

"I don't know, Brey."

"Chlo, Beca is lost right now. She needs help, maybe professional help."

"She's not crazy."

"No, but, she needs to find her way out of it. What are you doing there? You have a life now without her in it. What happens when she gets all - Beca - and runs again?"

Chloe sat silent for a while, processing the first part of that sentence and ignoring the second. She had to assume that unless things really changed between them, Beca would run again. It was just a fact. Honestly, she hadn't even stopped running, had she? It was also true, Beca did need to find her way out and she did need help.

Just like that, she knew exactly what she needed to do.

"You're right."

"I usually am."

Chloe let out a hiccup of a laugh.


The last of the guests left once they realized their hostess was asleep, something Chloe was alright with. She was craving some peace and quiet, she was craving some time to think - despite the fact that she had been thinking for hours now, she was craving - something spicy. Ooh, she was hungry. She had skipped lunch, hadn't she? Maybe she would cook soon.

She didn't really want to get up though.

But damn, she was hungry. Hungry to the point her stomach was starting to swirl into nausea.

Her phone began to vibrate again and habitually Chloe looked at the caller.

Marcy.

Goodness, she could only assume what Marcy would have to say to her. No thank you, she would make dinner instead.

She shifted a little to the side, doing her best not to move Beca too much. No luck though. Beca's hand had closed around Chloe's shirt without her realizing and the movement made her groan in her sleep.

Chloe stopped, giving the sleepy eyes a smile, "Hey."

"Hey." Beca's eyebrows drew in tight, the word short and clipped.

Chloe could sense the mood shift easily. She let out a sigh, knowing what was coming.

"Dude, why does this keep happening?" Beca shot up, rubbing her head. "What is your lap like a magnet or something?"

"I don't know Bec, you've always liked my lap. I guess it's just as comfortable gay as it was when I was straight," she teased, hoping to get a laugh.

Beca's only response was a glare, briskly flicking the lighter and lighting a cigarette. She rose and moved away, knowing that Beca was glaring daggers at her.

"Why are you still here?"

"What?" Chloe asked, fanning her warm face and enjoying the cool breeze just outside of the patio door.

"Seriously. Why are you still here? Why did you come at all?"

Chloe pulled her hair up, watching Beca grimace and sniff, "Where did the mood come from, Bec? If we're going to fight then can it at least be about something new?"

Beca scoffed, rising and pouring herself another drink, "I just - I don't freaking - there's such thing as personal space, dude, it's not crazy that I like mine."

"Uh huh."

"Plus, like, I dunno what you're waiting for but you don't need to stay."

Chloe frowned. There was no point in letting herself be dragged into the fight that Beca was trying to start. She took a deep breath but anger was building, far too fast to be rational. "Is this your way of telling me to leave, Beca?"

Beca gave her a mocking shocked stare, "Yeah! Go home! No one needs you. Everything is fine."

No one needs you?! She watched Beca take another long drink; looking at Chloe as though she were an idiot and she felt something inside snap. Anger was easy these days, a little too easy and she wasn't used to it. She had never been someone who believed in anger; she had never been someone who wanted to put that out into the universe. But suddenly, she was angry. "Everything is fine? Everything is fine?" She marched right up to her, ripping the tumbler full of whiskey from Beca's hand, not caring at all that she slopped some of the contents down Beca's front. "Are you fucking kidding me, Beca?"

Beca's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Chloe did swear just not - like that – and rarely at people. She didn't think it was good 'ju-ju'.

"Everything is not fine! Everything is most certainly not fine because you make a lot of stupid choices, stupid freaking choices Beca! This," she held up the now mostly empty tumbler, "makes you not fine. That," she gestured out to the patio where people had been a few hours before, "makes you not fine! That," she ripped the cigarette from Beca's fingers, jamming it out, "makes you not fine! What the hell were you thinking? Huh? What the hell are you thinking? What the hell were you thinking putting yourself in that situation? Have you ever stopped to think about what it was like for me getting that phone call? Huh? I literally wasn't even sure you were alive! Have you stopped to think about what it will be like when I get the call again? When this time you aren't alive? When you take yourself out of this world? Who is going to call your family, Beca? Not Hunny! She would probably be dead right beside you! Me! Me, Beca! I would have to be the one to call your mom - and your dad - and the Bellas - and the Trebles - and everyone else you have ever known. You would have taken yourself away from me - again! Which, I'm sorry, a girl can only handle once! Not even! And you would have done it because of this! This stupid, stupid choice!" She sucked in a deep breath, her trembling hands going to her hair. "DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE FINE! YOU ARE NOT FINE, BECA! NEITHER ONE OF US IS FINE BECAUSE OF THIS!" She took another deep rattling breath. Oh my god, she felt better. She felt so much better. She hadn't realized how much buzzing tension had been living in her body, how much anger, how much fear until she was suddenly screaming in the middle of Beca's living room.

A blush touched her cheeks as she glanced sheepishly over at Beca.

Beca just looked back, arms crossed and thoroughly unimpressed, "You feel better now?"

"Yes. Thank you," she sighed, timidly chewing her lip.

"Great. Go home!"

"...NO! You don't get to send me home after you almost die. You don't get to push me away because it's easier! We did this in college and I will do it again if I have to. I let you push me away once because I thought I had hurt you but,"

"You did hurt me!"

"How? By not loving you in the way that you loved me?"

"Yeah!"

Her whole body tensed, shock radiating through her like a kick back. Her mouth fell open, hurt, honestly hurt. She would give anything to take that back, anything to take away Beca's pain, all of those years.

She just looked at Beca and Beca looked back until finally, Beca gave a huff, "I mean-"

"I'm sorry that you were hurt, I am! But I'm not leaving, Beca, not until I know that you're not just going to kill yourself. I can't. I'm here. So suck it up, Rebeca and stop treating me like shit!"

Beca scoffed, her arms going out in surrender, "Fine. You want to stay? Fine. Have fucking fun!" And she marched from the room.


Author's Note:

I just want to take a quick moment to say thank you to everyone who is reading and who is reviewing. You guys are amazing. I can't even begin to explain how much I love it and how thankful I am. You guys are even supportive of the work that I haven't even started writing yet! It blows me away. So thanks.

- O