"I need your help." Beca still wasn't sure why she had asked them, regretting her words as soon as they left her mouth. And still regretting them as she was currently pacing back and forth in her room with Amy sitting on her bed and Stacie going through her wardrobe.

"Could you stop for a second?" Stacie asked annoyed.

"Sorry." Beca sat down next to Amy on the bed and immediately her knee began to shake.

"Beca. Seriously." Stacie warned. "You should stop worrying so much. It's just a date." Beca scoffed.

"It's not just a date. It's a date with Chloe." She stood up again to emphasize her point. "She's my best friend."

"Doesn't that make it like a lot easier?" Amy asked.

"What if I do something stupid and ruin everything?" Stacie sighed and put her hands on Beca's shoulder to stop her from pacing again.

"Breathe. Calm down. I don't think Chloe lets you ruin anything. She pretty much waited three years for this. And whatever you do, she will always think it's cute and adorable."

"I'm not cute and adorable." She mumbled and crossed her arms in front of her.

"Yes, you are. But that doesn't matter right now. We need to find you something to wear. Chloe will be wearing a dress but nothing fancy. So we will do something casual."

"How do you know what she will be wearing?" Beca asked with raised eyebrows.

"I might have asked Aubrey to know how to help you."

An hour later Beca was finally ready to go. Stacie pretty much did all the work while Amy sat on her bed and told stories about her rather strange adventures to keep Beca calm. But she was still nervous and her palms were sweating. And then there was Chloe in front of her with that breathtaking dress looking like a goddess increasing the sweating in her palms and her nervousness. As she was still staring at her, she suddenly noticed that her lips were moving. 'Oh no, she is speaking. I didn't listen. What did she say?' Beca thought panicking again.

"What?" She asked as she came back to reality. Chloe just laughed slightly.

"I asked what the plan for tonight was." She smiled while Beca's cheeks turned red.

"Ehm... well." She stuttered. "I-I thought about dinner first... your favorite Italian restaurant on campus... and... then... uhm..." This was so weird. Beca wasn't someone who got nervous so easily but this was Chloe looking at her with a bright smile and sparkling eyes letting her lose her words. And then while they were walking, Beca suddenly felt a hand slipping in hers and a thumb stroking her hand and giving her comfort. 'Deep breaths.' She thought. "Watching the sunset sitting near the lake sounded like something people would do on their first date. I thought you might like it."

"I like it." Chloe simply said and gave Beca a kiss on the cheek. 'There goes my confidence again..." She thought as her cheeks turned a shade of red like a tomato.

The date went quite well after that. Talking and eating like any other day. It was all easy and relaxed until Chloe's hand found its way over the table and into Beca's hand. It took her a little by surprise but she was glad she didn't pull away, only as a reflex if indeed. After dinner and finding a good spot at the lake to watch the sunset, they sat in silence for a few minutes taking everything in.

"So far so good, right?" Beca suddenly spoke up but only got a confused look back as a response. "To be honest, I was worried this wouldn't work out. And the thought about losing you as my best friend kind of added to the nervousness." She confessed quietly.

"Why shouldn't this work out?" Chloe sighed. "I have feelings for you that are more than just feelings you have for a best friend. I have for a really long time now. And I don't want to lose you, too." She gave her a small smile but could barely hide the tears forming in her eyes. "If you are having doubts about us being more than… maybe we shouldn't have gone on a date." Beca quickly took Chloe's hand in hers.

"That's not what I meant. I don't have doubts about it... I'm just scared." Beca sighed, stood up and began to pace back and forth again. "Firstly, I like you, like more than best friends. Secondly, does that make me gay? Not that that is a bad thing. It just confuses me."

"Becs."

"Thirdly, I've never been with a girl before. Is there a difference?"

"Beca."

"Fourthly, I have to tell my father at some point." Chloe suddenly laid a hand on her shoulder. She didn't even realize that Chloe had stood up.

"It's okay. You're just confused. We'll figure this out." Chloe smiled, like genuinely smiled. "I like you too." She leaned forward and gave her a short but meaningful kiss on the lips.

"Should we use your interview that was already planned for tomorrow for this or do you want me to cancel it?" Aubrey asked as she was about to leave.

"No, it's fine. No need to cancel it." Beca replied.

"And you're sure you're going to be okay?" She asked again.

"I'm fine. Tomorrow everything will be over. We will have our own company and you will be my partner."

"And you?" This time her question was directed at Chloe who still sat on the couch trying to process the new situation.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier about this plan?" She suddenly asked ignoring what Aubrey just had asked. Aubrey opened her mouth to speak but Beca quickly interrupted.

"It's my fault." She sighed. "I told her not to tell you because I knew if it doesn't work out, it will crush any hope you had and I just couldn't deal with that." Beca nervously stood there, next to Aubrey not really knowing what the hell she was supposed to do, while Chloe sighed and ran a hand through her golden locks.

"So this is what you talked about yesterday, when you said you were working on it?" Beca nodded hesitantly. "And you two planned this the whole time, behind my back?" She asked oddly calm.

"Chloe, it's not like that." Beca said quickly. "Do you remember how disappointed you were after the interview where I confessed that there was indeed someone?" Tears were welling in her eyes. "How could I make you feel this way again? You were devastated and it was my fault."

"It was for your own good." Aubrey added as she saw the first tears rolling down Beca's cheeks. "You always were such a happy and emotional person. But we know this wasn't easy for you. For both of you. Hiding your feelings for such a long time won't pass easily, it affects you as a person." Aubrey took a deep breathe. "I'm sorry for not telling you the truth. But I promise it will all get better now." With that she opened the door and left.

"I'm sorry, too." Beca said and looked down at the floor. Still sitting on the couch, Chloe sighed deeply for what seemed for the millionth time these days.

"Look." She started. "I'm not mad." Beca relaxed instantly. "It's just a lot to take in. But it's not your fault. Do you hear me? Not your fault. It's your bosses' fault." Chloe's mood changed quickly to angry at her own mention of Beca's managers. "If it hadn't been for them, we wouldn't have to hide in the first place."

"But it's all going to be over soon." Beca reassured.

"Hopefully." Chloe mumbled unintelligible.

"Are you hungry? You still haven't eaten anything. I can cook you something while you go and take a shower." She stood up and put on a small smile.

"That would be great." Chloe was back to her usual self and gave Beca a quick peck on the cheek before walking to the bathroom.

She was standing behind the stage, nervously walking up and down. Aubrey and Laura, a close co-producer of Beca who decided to follow Aubrey's plans stood beside her trying to calm her down.

"You're doing the right thing here." Laura said. "You have the majority of your artists standing behind you willing to go with you. You don't need the label, the label needs you. And if they treat you and the rest of us like shit, we should turn our backs to them." Laura told them earlier she was send here to talk to Beca about denying everything but that didn't feel right, she couldn't support that.

"Where is Chloe?" Beca asked Aubrey worried.

"Still on her way." A man with a clipboard walked up to them and told her that she is on in three minutes. "She will be here soon."

A few minutes later Beca's name was called and she had to go. She took deep breaths and put on her best smile for the cameras. Usually she wasn't nervous. But this time she could barely keep her hands from shaking. She needed Chloe right now. The moment she would see her sparkling blue eyes she would know that she was in fact doing the right thing for the right motives. But then she was sitting on this couch playing with the one ring on her finger that was a gift from Chloe for her third anniversary. Chloe was wearing the same ring and they had their names engraved in the inside.

"So, Beca. I'm really glad you're here." The interviewer smiled at her but she already knew what was coming up and she was ready, or at least she hoped she was.

"Yeah, good to see you again." He leaned forward on his table smirking.

"I remember the last time you were here you said you 'have someone who is making you happy'." He quoted the last part with his fingers. Beca had to smile. Being reminded of Chloe always did that to her. "You seem happy, so I guess that someone is still around?" He asked and all she did was nod grinning. "So..." He started. Beca sighed and rolled her eyes playfully.

"I know you have the pictures ready to be put on that screen behind you. You can stop playing with me now." The audience laughed.

"Since you asked for it..." The interviewer grinned brightly but that back and forth was normal between them. Beca had been on this tv show quite often during the last years and actually liked this guy. But this was his job so nevertheless the pictures appeared and Beca took a deep breath again. "Well, we have all seen these pictures all over the internet and media but you haven't commented on them yet. Why?" He carefully tiptoed around the topic because he knew that was what everybody was waiting for.

"Well, I thought a lot about it and came to the conclusion: why not give this man a good show." She said with the same big smirk on her face as he had and a laughing audience in the background.

"Thanks for that. But I still hope you're willing to explain these photos." Just in that moment Beca searched for Aubrey for some moral support and as she found her she also found the red hair and blue eyes she had been missing this whole time staring right back at her with a big smile on her face.

"Yeah, of course. I'm here to explain a lot if you don't mind." She bit her lip but Chloe only nodded showing her support.

"I think everyone is waiting."

"Ok. But I want to do this right so I will start at the beginning." She warned still smiling and the interviewer just leaned back, her sign to continue. "In college I was in this acapella group called the 'Barden Bellas' together with a lot of crazy chicks. But we all became friends and I became best friends with one of them. I never really had close friends before so this was all new to me. And I didn't notice until my last year that I was falling for my best friend. Actually a friend of mine had to help me with that realization -" She could almost hear Amy shouting 'That's me!' somewhere in Australia. "And she actually liked me back so we went on a few dates and took things slow because we didn't want to risk our friendship and we wanted to do this right. She meant a lot to me and I couldn't lose her. But at the end of our last year we had to face real life and real life is a bitch." She chuckled and again made the audience laugh. "I always wanted to be a DJ and produce music and I sent out lots of applications for a job in the music industry but only one company was willing to offer me a job. That was my current label. So I went to the job interview and it went surprisingly well. Of course there was a rub in it. After I told them that I was in a relationship with a woman they said I could only work for them if I didn't tell anyone about it." She paused slightly and took another deep breath. The whole studio was dead silent. "Since that was my only offer that was exactly what I did. For the last four years I had to hide the best thing that ever happened to me. And they don't even know a single thing about her." Beca had tears in her eyes that were locked on to Chloe's. "And I know that apologizing won't make it any better but I'm truly and deeply sorry that I agreed to that." At this point she didn't care that she was still live on a tv show and spoke directly to Chloe. "You told me that it was my dream and that we would be okay. There were so many moments where I was sure I was about to lose you and I couldn't have done anything if you had once taken my offer to leave because you deserve better." A cameraman noticed that Beca was indeed talking to someone in this studio and directed his camera on Chloe who had just like Beca tears rolling down her cheeks. "But you didn't leave and this is my chance to make these four years of hiding up to you. I want to make things right and I'm about to do what I should have done four years ago." Beca caught herself again, quickly wiped her tears away and faced the interviewer who also looked quite shocked. "I quit." She said proudly. "My homophobic bosses can go fuck themselves because I'm gay and I'm finally willing to fight for my relationship." There was a short moment of silence before suddenly people started to clap.

"Wow." The interviewer cleared his throat. "Never thought a guest could leave me speechless."

"Sorry." Beca chuckled.

"So what are you going to do now? You've quit, that's great. Best choice you could make. But what is your next step?" He asked after another moment of silence.

"A friend of mine is helping me with forming my own label. I planned taking this step with her for the last year but we're hopefully ready soon with all the organization." Beca said proudly and deeply thanked Aubrey for helping her through this. Of course Beca offered her the job of being her partner and she finally agreed after a long conversation of convincing.

"I really wish you the best. And I'm sure there are a lot of people that got your back." He said and Beca knew that topic was over. "But I have to add one thing." Beca looked at him showing her confused expression. "You got yourself quite a pretty lady there." He was switching back to the lighthearted conversations and she was thankful for that. The interviewer held out his hand for a high five and of course she returned the favor chuckling again. "So what's her name?"

"Her name is Chloe." Of course the pictures appeared on the screen a second time.

"Isn't that your roommate?" The interviewer asked curiously and Beca couldn't stifle a laugh.

"Yeah. We live together. Our apartment sort of being the only place where we could be ourselves and be the couple we had to hide."

"And we, all of us, didn't notice a thing. Well, you fooled all of us for years. I would say you did a good job if it wasn't for the wrong reasons." He chuckled slightly.

"I even took her to award shows sometimes but people always thought we were just really good friends."

"And with all the rumors about you dating some new artist you work with. Yeah, I can see how we didn't find out. I guess that just never crossed our minds, to be honest. But tell me, how long have you been together?"

"Almost five years now." Beca responded proudly.

"Five years? Wow." He paused. "And when are you going to put a ring on that finger?" He raised his eyebrow and made a silly face to lose the rest of the tension that was build up earlier.

"Who knows. We'll see."

"Or are you already married?" He asked quickly.

"No. We're not. What makes you think that?"

"Well, you have a ring on one of your fingers and I thought because you had to hide maybe you chose another finger to not show it."

"That is a really good idea but I have to let you down. This was a gift from Chloe for our third anniversary, she is wearing the same one." Beca carefully took the ring of to show it to the interviewer. "It has our names engraved on the inside to remind ourselves."

"Remind ourselves?" He asked.

"We were at a point of our relationship were either we were going to break up or come out stronger. The ring should remind us that we are always there for each other and can rely on each other. Two years of hiding don't go by that easily and it was hard. I was becoming more famous and people started to recognize me on the streets so we had to be very careful. And I almost lost her for real."

"I can't do this anymore." Chloe said tears rolling down her cheeks as she was quickly throwing things into a bag.

"What are you doing?" Beca asked as she stood in the room not daring to move. Of course this wasn't unexpected. The atmosphere had been tensed the last few days because of another great idea of Beca's label that she couldn't fight against. A fake boyfriend. Of course Chloe wasn't exactly thrilled about that development. And Beca's lack of resistance did the rest for her.

"I'm staying with Aubrey for a while."

"Chloe, please don't go." She begged but only mentally. She stayed silent knowing that it was the best for her. Beca couldn't make her happy. Chloe finished packing and turned around looking at her, an for Beca unreadable expression on her face.

"Are you not going to say anything?" Again, nothing. "So this is it?" 'Be strong. Let her go. Don't fight for her.' Beca thought to herself. Chloe looked so hurt but she had to be strong now. There was nothing she could do that would change everything to the better. "I'll go then." She said and slowly took a few steps hoping to be stopped but Beca didn't move. And then she heard the door closing and allowed herself to collapse on their bed. It was finally done. Of course Beca couldn't recover from someone so good like Chloe. But that was worth it if it meant a better life for Chloe. She curled up on the bed and hugged her knees tightly, keeping her legs firmly in place so there was no chance to run after her. She could, but she shouldn't. She wanted to. She really and deeply wanted to. But her rationality kept her from doing anything stupid. Yes, it was stupid for Chloe. She could keep her from anymore harm and that was the most important thing: to save her from anymore pain. She was doing the right thing, she told herself over and over again. Maybe if she told herself enough times, just maybe, she would believe it.

A few minutes ticked by and although she was sobbing her heart out, she could hear the door to their apartment being opened again and feet on her way to the bedroom. She could feel her sitting down on the bed and she could smell her scent. It was her, really her. No dream, no illusion.. After another minute she spoke up, quietly, almost whispering her words.

"I couldn't do it." She took a deep breath. "I couldn't leave." Beca turned around but only to face her back and wiped her face with her sleeve.

"You should have left." Her voice was hoarse.

"Why do you always want me to leave?" The hurt in her voice made Beca cringe.

"Because once you have left you can finally be free, finally be happy." She confessed quietly.

"Why do you want to make that decision for me so badly?"

"I promised Aubrey and I promised myself to always make you happy and to make you smile but I can't do that anymore. I'm not able to give you what you deserve. To let you go is the only option I have."

"And what if I won't go?" Chloe turned around biting her lip to stop herself from crying again.

"You have to, please." Beca begged with tears in her eyes, still fighting her inner conflict.

"You can't force me." Beca laid down again and stared at the ceiling. "You want me to leave because you think you can't make me happy and can't make me smile. But every time when I had a shitty day at school you make me dinner and you watch a movie with me and you cuddle with me and that is enough to make me feel better. Because I know that you don't know how to cook and you still watch YouTube tutorials and almost every time hurt yourself in some way. I know that you hate movies and that your bad ass reputation will be ruined if someone knows you like cuddles." Chloe paused chuckling slightly to herself. "But still you do all these things for me. I know you would not do them for anybody else. And I love you for that. Even for just trying and going out of your way for me." Beca finally looked her in the eyes and still saw all that pain that mostly was her fault.

"You should still go-" Chloe interrupted her immediately.

"Beca, no."

"I don't mean it like that. Not this time..." She took a deep breath. "You just could use some time off and spent the weekend with Aubrey." She gave Chloe the best smile she could fake right now because she just couldn't believe she was still willing to stay.

"And you're going to be fine?" Chloe asked with a very worried tone in her voice but Beca only nodded. "I will come back. I promise." She leaned forward and kissed Beca's forehead. "And we're going to work this out. We … We'll be fine again."

"And if you don't come back, it will be alright. I'll understand." Beca had the words on the tip of her tongue but Chloe took all the courage she needed to say those words as her eyes met hers before she turned around and walked out.

Chloe came back after 47 and a half hours, not that Beca had counted. Beca had deeply wished she magically had changed her mind and wouldn't come back. It would have been the best for her. But still she felt a rush of relief through her body as the door to their apartment opened and she stepped in, a smile on her lips and willing to make things work again.

As the interview was over and Beca could finally leave the stage, she literally ran up to Chloe and embraced her in the tightest hug she could give.

"I'm really glad you made it." Beca mumbled against Chloe's shoulder where she had buried her head.

"Of course. I'm always there if you need me, remember?" Chloe pulled back and stroke Beca's cheek carefully removing the dried tears. "You did great."

"Hey." The interviewer walked up to them. "You must be Chloe." He smiled and held out his hand which Chloe gladly shook. "It's really nice to meet you. And I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Your story truly shocked me."

"Well, finally free now." Beca said chuckling slightly and laid her hand on Chloe's hip.

"I wish you two the best and if you're up for an interview with the both of you, you know where to find me." He joked and after saying his goodbyes, he left.

"So... ready to go home?" Beca asked with a wide smile on her face while she held out her hand for Chloe to take. With a similar expression Chloe intertwined their fingers.

"I love you." Chloe whispered into Beca's ear as they walked to the exit where Aubrey was waiting.

"I love you, too." She softly laid her lips on Chloe's before a coughing Aubrey interrupted.

"Please, guys. I know you're sickening cute but do I have to see that in public now too?" Aubrey said annoyed but quickly grinned. "Just kidding. I'm so proud of you." She pulled both of them in a tight hug before going back to talking business.

The next day...

Monday. School day. That meant for Chloe to get up early and go to work. Since Beca was practically now her own boss she decided to take the day off and stay in bed.

"Can't you call and say you're sick?" Beca had pouted as Chloe got out of bed to get ready.

"I don't have long today. I will be home when you get out of bed." She had joked and kissed her softly before she had to go.

Chloe was late because usually Beca would make coffee for her. But since she had such a lazy girlfriend who didn't have to go to work, she had to do it on her own and underestimated the time she would need for that. So she was running to her classroom without going to the teacher's office first. This just reminded her of the first time her students found out that she knew Beca.

It was just a regular day like every other day since she started working. Well, at least she thought that. She was a little late. Beca had kept her awake last night after they came back from the Grammys. Chloe didn't even think about the fact that her students might be interested in that kind of things. But that information kind of spread fast in school. So as she walked into her first class, music of course, her students from the school choir were gathered around a table.

"Good morning." She tried to get their attention but failed. Clearing her throat wasn't helping much too. Clapping hands and repeating her words finally did the job. "Can we start class now?" Everyone sat down on their chair and some girl raised her hand. "Yes?"

"I know this is a personal question but everyone here is curious, how do you know the Beca Mitchell?" She asked, stressing the 'the' in front of Beca's name. Other student started whispering and soon it was loud again. Chloe, or here Ms. Beale, cleared her throat and everything got quiet again.

"Well, why do you ask?" Chloe tried to keep her facade up but was grinning on the inside. She could have a little fun with her students.

"You were at the Grammys with her." Some boy shouted from the back and someone gave her the magazine. Chloe leaned against her desk and stared at the photo of Beca and her before giving it back and crossing her arms in front of her. It was a small photo but enough for their students to recognize their teacher.

"She invited me. Can't say no to that opportunity." Chloe was giving in, smiling at her class and knowing teaching wouldn't happen today.

"So, how do you know her?" All of the students got really excited leaning forward on their desks and waiting eagerly for an answer.

"We share an apartment." Chloe now smiled and sat down on a chair in front of her students who already gathered around her. "I met her in college when she wasn't famous yet but already had her dream planned. And we became best friends after she joined the Bellas."

"That acapella group?" Chloe nodded.

"We were pretty successful after some changes and a new sound thanks to Beca and even won the World Championship of acapella." Again whispering.

"Do you think she... I mean... Could we...?" Chloe raised an eyebrow.

"Meet her?" She completed and asked back. Every student nodded eagerly. "I don't know. I could ask her." Forty eyes were looking expectantly at her. "You mean, now?" Again, everyone nodded. "I can try." She walked back to her desk and pulled her phone out of her bag mumbling: "Why did I agree to go to this thing in the first place?". Unlocking her phone, she was directly confronted with Beca. Her background was a photo of Chloe and Beca. Chloe had her arms around Beca and stood behind her, head on her shoulder and a wide smile on her lips. Beca had laid her hands on top of Chloe's and kissed her cheek.

"Hey Chlo, I thought you had a class?" said the voice on the other side of the phone. Chloe smiled instantly, hearing the brunette's voice was enough for her.

"Yeah, well. They saw us in a magazine and are now interrogating me." She looked back at her students who just happened to stare at the ceiling or out of the windows, a sheepish smile plastered on their faces.

"So, why exactly do you call? Need some help? I thought a teacher's qualification was they could handle their students?" She knew Beca was messing with her and she could almost hear that grin over the phone.

"They asked if they could meet you."

"I'm still at home and my first appointment is in about two hours." She said more to herself thinking about it. "I could be there in fifteen but can't stay too long."

And Beca did show up in only thirteen minutes (the students seemed to count the seconds) and stayed for almost an hour before she had to leave again. She took her time to take a picture with every student of Chloe's class and answered a few questions. She even agreed to mash up their favorite songs. And if they were willing to rehearse the mix as a choir, she would return to listen for it. Of course they agreed and she had to return after just a month of rehearsing and they even did dance moves. Not as good as world championship in a cappela of course, but that needs more than just a good mix and a month, she certainly knows about that.

"Sorry, I'm late." Chloe ran into her classroom only to find her students silently waiting for her. That was odd. Very odd. They were all leaning slightly forward, all eyes focused on her. "Well.." She couldn't even start a sentence because suddenly twenty hands were almost synchronously raised in the air. That was going to be one long day for sure.

"I should have stayed at home." She muttered to herself as she finally finished her first two periods with the class. Sure she had to answer a lot of question but tried to avoid the more personal questions. Chloe walked down the hall with all the eyes on her. Boy was she happy as she reached her destination, the teacher's lounge, or so she thought. As she opened the door the whole room was silent. Dead silent. Every eyes on her. Chloe groaned. "Not you too."

In the meantime Beca was still in bed trying to sleep. But she couldn't. Her mind always wandered to Chloe and what she was probably doing right now. Quickly she grabbed her phone from the nightstand and typed. "Thinking about you. How is your day so far?" She sent. Moments later came the reply:

"HELP. Everyone's staring at me and asking so many questions..." Beca chuckled.

"Well now you know how I feel on the red carpet."

"Thanks for the help." Chloe replied.

"No problem. ;) Love you." Beca suddenly had an idea.