She was already getting irritated and she'd only been off the train for like…five whole minutes. Her bag was digging into her shoulder, her iPod died (she listened to it the entire train ride) and she was starving. Not to mention the Charlotte train station was filled with impatient and rude douche bags who had no concept of personal space. So to say the least, she was in a foul mood already. So she walked briskly through the crowd, being shoved around due to her small stature, but Beca was the type to shove back. She just wanted to reach her destination in one piece.

As the crowd moved to the exits, she noticed groups of people waiting for the exiting passengers. Beca scanned the crowd of expectant taxi drivers and greeters, until she finally spotted him. He couldn't see her just yet, but he was looking for her, his neck craned in a different direction. He was a holding a sign with Beyoncé written on it, and she bit the inside of her cheek in amusement, feeling better already now that she was here and able to see Jesse.

He was still looking in the wrong direction when she approached, clearing her throat. "Beyoncé, huh? That's aiming pretty high, don't you think?"

Jesse smiled before he even turned to look at her, but tried to mask it to keep up the charade. "I have big goals. Besides, who knows? She might be here and would appreciate seeing such a welcoming face."

"I doubt it."

"Excuse me, sarcastic little person, you're blocking my sign," he huffed, lifting it higher.

"Come here, weirdo," Beca cooed, grabbing his shirt and pulling him into a sloppy kiss.

He melted into it immediately; it had been three weeks, and no amount of Skyping, phone calls, or texts could make up for the physical connection they needed. She loves the way he feels against her lips, and his tee shirt is fitting just right. Jesse smelled like Axe body spray and she hated to know the commercials were right, that shit gets you hot. He wrapped his arms around her, his hands pushed into her hair, and she forgot all about the fact her computer bag was heavy as fuck on her shoulder.

He pulled back and kissed her nose lightly, the goofy smile still plastered on his face. "Hi."

"Wassup."

"Let me take that."

He reached for her bag and grabbed her hand. Suddenly, Beca didn't mind being in a crowded train station, she was more than happy to be here. The two weeks at her mother's house wasn't pleasant, her mother was still having issues with the divorce and Beca's new established relationship with her dad and stepmother. Beca didn't want to deal anymore, so when she complained to Jesse about the headache, he sent her an email confirmation of her e-ticket an hour later. "Just…because I can hold you when you're here," he said during one particularly emotional Skype session. Yep, she loved this boy.

"So how was your ride?"

"It was okay, pretty to look at, but I just listened to music and wrote Twilight fanfic to keep me busy," she said, part sarcastically.

"Can't wait to read it, I'm Team Jacob," Jesse nodded as they crossed the street to a parking lot.

"Cool, I'm team Bella should kill herself," Beca shrugged.

That elicited a snort from her boyfriend, who she could tell missed her sarcastic wit.

She was a little relieved they did get a small break from each other, it made their relationship even more interesting. Jesse's very romantic, and it could have been a bit overwhelming since Beca is truly new at allowing someone in, so this time was good. She's allowed herself to miss him, to think about him and what he means to her, and even though it's still pretty new, she loves him as a friend and more, and she wanted to make it work.

He only let go of her hand to pull out his car keys to an older model Subaru. "I want to introduce you to Betsy."

"You named your car?"

"All men name their car. It's like, a thing," he shrugged, opening the back door and placing her luggage in the seat.

"A Subaru. Do you only shop organic whole foods as well?" she joked and Jesse gave her a look that showed he doesn't like her making fun of Betsy. "Betsy's awesome. I don't own a car so I can't judge."

"Hopefully my parents will let me bring it down next year. It'll make more sense since I'm moving in the Treble house."

"I'm pretty psyched about living with Amy. Even though, no one will replace the coldness of Kimmy Jin. That bitch kept me on my toes."

"I miss her steely stare already," Jesse quipped, taking Beca's hand even though he was driving. "I missed you too…just so you know."

The drive was only twenty minutes, and Beca arrived to much fanfare at Jesse's house. She was shocked to be greeted by his grandparents (who Jesse didn't know would be there) and his mother made a big to do about everything. After dinner, and a round of twenty questions all directed towards Beca, the family settled in the living room.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"I'm putting in this tape of your play for Beca," his mom hushed him, and Beca watched Jesse's face flush.

"What? What show? Mom, stop!"

"Oh Beca, Jesse was in a community theatre production of Spring Awakening his senior year. Way too sexual if you ask me, but the music was good. Jesse played Gay-Org. Right Jesse?"

"Wrong, totally wrong," he shook his head, but his mother ignored him.

"It was so good it got a write up in the paper. I took video of it-"

"Illegally," Jesse frowned.

"It's not illegal as long as you're my son, I'll record you all I want."

Jesse sighed heavily and palmed his face as Beca snickered. They watched the entire production and Beca was in awe when Jesse's parts came up. He's just so talented, it's almost unfair. He sat next to her, looking utterly embarrassed. She had no idea why, his voice was remarkable and he had a mother who was proud of it. At the end of the viewing, everyone clapped and Beca saw Jesse look a little humbled by it.

After saying goodnight to his grandparents, Jesse showed Beca his sister's room (she was away at soccer camp).

"It's a twin bed, but I hope it works," he said turning on a lamp for her. "You think you'll need anything? Towels? Blankets? Me?"

"Come here," she wagged her finger, and he walked over to her, leaning in and kissing her. Beca pulled back, "Thank you."

"No, thank you for coming. And I am so sorry my mom invited Gramma and Granpa. That's like...too much Swanson for anyone to handle," he said, making a face.

"It was nice," Beca replied.

"I really am glad you're here, though."

"Oh, before I forget, guess what I got?!" Beca remembered, pulling away and reaching into her bag. She pulled out a small bottle of wine from her bag. She swiped it from her stepmother's cabinet before she left. She figured it wasn't big enough to get her in trouble and it was easy to conceal in her bag. Plus, she really hoped Jesse's mom would find wine from somewhere.

"Stop playing!" Jesse cackled. "No, you are not getting my mom drunk for your amusement, Beca Mitchell. I swear to god, you are like my sexy arch nemesis. You are out to destroy me."

"But somehow, after tonight I think you mom is up to embarrass you without being under the influence," she sneered.

"Yeah, it's the story of my life," he shrugged. "If she didn't humiliate me, she would have to take up another hobby, like knitting."

She turned to say something sarcastic, but saw how content he looked at that moment with her just being here with him. He really missed her and she missed him, and they were figuring this thing out. So instead of being her usually snarky self, she reached for him and he enveloped her in a hug. He felt alot like home to her.

"Okay, seriously, with the map, you look like a tourist," she mutters, standing beside him as he stares at a map he got from a gift shop.

Jesse stands in the middle of the sidewalk, holding the map open, trying to figure out where they are.

"'Cause I am tourist," is all he replies, adjusting his sunglasses before staring back at the map.

"Yeah, but you shouldn't want to look like one," Beca grumbles again, but she is going to let it go, because he was really into that damn map and totally ignoring the fact they are impeding the flow of pedestrian traffic. They are visiting the Smithsonian, it was Jesse's turn to visit her, and that's where he wanted to go. Of all places. But she'll go along with it because it's his visit and she wants him to enjoy himself.

They walk a few more steps and Jesse stops again and is staring at that damn map. Beca rolls her eyes. He refuses to listen. "You know you're like a walking target to get robbed. We need to blend."

"Well, let me borrow one of your ear spikes and some of your witty sarcasm, I'm sure I'll blend in just fine then," Jesse snaps back in jest, and Beca glowers at him.

It isn't an intense exchange, their relationship is still new but they were a few months in now, so the snarky-ness had come up a notch. She kind of enjoys it, it isn't all lovey dovey, and Jesse could give it back just as well as she dishes it out. Jesse's visit came at the tail end of the summer; they'd be back at Barden in two weeks anyway, but he wanted to see her. It's hard, being with someone and being so far from them, she's learned all summer.

Her visit in Charlotte went well, Jesse was so attentive and loving, and his family so inviting, Beca almost envied that he got to have that type of family. His mother lavished attention on her (too much, honestly) and Beca liked getting a peek into what made Jesse tick. His mother, as overbearing as she was, was gentle to him, his father was calm and supportive, in way similar to Beca's. Jesse grew up in a fun loving home and it spoke volumes for how he was in general. His family however, made it hard for them to…physically reconnect, so every moment Jesse could, he stole her away to make out or…other things (up against the side of the garage), because being away from each other just made sex… that more intense.

Now, he's here in DC with Beca and her mother, Nan. Her mother's been horrible at trying to hide the fact she's a complete bitch, but Jesse can sense the tension. His trip was different than when she visited him. He came at a time when there was obvious contention with her mother. But Jesse can now figure why Beca closes off or shuts down some times, her mother's bitterness is evident and damaging. She can sense he wants to protect her from that, shield her from her mother's little jabs at her "little obsession with music" or her "weird glee club" remarks at dinner.

Jesse lets her mother know Beca won a national title, the first time women were able to do so, and when the Bellas did win, they blew the competition away. She feels herself loving this boy more and more every time he opens his beautiful mouth, because he's more than just a warm body attracted to her, he's her friend first and he sees the dark side Beca's struggling with and he cares for her anyway. He understands now why LA is, or was, her goal, she needed to get away.

Beca tugs his arm to maneuver him over to the crowded lawn in front of the Washington monument so they could sit and rest next to the reflecting pool. She figured they could rest a bit and he could obsess over his map without getting in the way of moving crowds. They both plop down in the grass and it's then he finally decides to fold that damn map and put it away. It's a nice day. Beca leans back on her hands, looking upward, letting the summer sun hit her face and reflect off her glasses. She could feel the heat from the sun, the heat creeps up and causes her brow to sweat, but she knows behind his glasses, she's pretty sure Jesse's eyeing her profile. She wore her purple tank top on purpose.

He leans back as well, and they people watch for awhile before he asks, "You excited to get back and be in charge of the Bellas?"

"Terrified," she says simply. She is terrified. New girls, plus figuring out how to reel in the older Bellas would be a challenge.

"Don't be. You'll do fine. Chloe and Aubrey believe in you. I do too."

"Yeah, I talked to Chloe the other day, she gave me good tips. Basically, don't get as neurotic as Aubrey."

"You know, Aubrey's hateful glares at me all last year could be misconstrued as sexual tension," Jesse wags his eyebrows.

"For you or me?" Beca deadpans.

"Who knows, though, I am hotter than you. I think…sometimes. Not often."

"You would have hooked up with Aubrey and I would have fucked Unicycle right on top of your precious DVD collection."

"Wow…so territorial," he replies, shuddering for effect. "Besides, I know for a fact Unicycle's bare-chesting exploits disgust you, so I'm not worried."

"Are you worried about taking over now that Donald's gone?"

"Nope, I got the other guys, they know what's up. I just want Benji to really get to be a part of it, he just insists on wearing that fucking cape all the time."

"It's a nice cape, though" Beca shrugs. She likes Benji and the fact Jesse's so protective over his socially incapable room mate. She pulls two bottles of water out of her bag, as well as an apple and orange. She hands both fruits to him, and he gets right to peeling the orange, for her, as she hates peeling oranges.

Once, before they were dating, he saw her attempting to peel an orange while in the quad.

"Why are you peeling it that way? You're doing it wrong," he said, as she struggled ripping little pieces of orange skin off.

"God created oranges to make you feel like you're an idiot," she replied, ripping off another small piece off. The skin was like steel, it refuses to peel away. She'd never been good at this. It would take her ages to peel an orange. But they were so fucking delicious and it was all she grabbed for lunch.

"Gimme it, it's like watching Saw IV, the way you maiming that orange," he took the mutilated orange from her as she huffed, and his fingers seems nimble as he made quick work of it.

It's small moments like those, he's just so fucking wonderful. She watches her hot, orange peeling, loving boyfriend. Jesse's not even looking at her, just peeling her orange and smiling to himself. It's time, she thinks, she feels. She has to say it now.

"I love oranges," Beca says, shifting uncomfortably, removing her sunglasses. Suddenly, she felt hotter and she knew it wasn't from the summer sun, but her nervousness. She'd never said this to anyone before, save the Bellas who she loved, but never she never declared it to anyone in a romantic sense.

"But you've never learned how to peel one properly," Jesse smirks.

"Yeah. Well...you know…that's why I have you. To peel my oranges. To bombard me with annoying and unnecessary movie references. It's one of the many reasons I...like, you know...love you," she breathes out, and his hands stop peeling the orange instantly. He jerks his head up, but his glasses hide his eyes.

"Did you hear me, nerd?" she asks sincerely because he's dumbstruck and not saying anything.

He nods, but says nothing, so Beca reaches up and takes off his sunglasses as well. His eyes are wide and thankful, and she's not sorry she said it; just overwhelmed by her feelings suddenly, because he's peeling her oranges for her, defending her to her mother, and she just really wants to say it right now.

"Wow, come here," he said, putting the orange down sloppily on his bag and reaching for her. She obliges his deep kiss. It's demanding and he's grateful that she finally said it. She figures it's been on his lips for a while, but because he knows she's slower in revealing her feelings, he hadn't said it. She could see it at different times, like the way his eyes sparkle when she laughs or when they are talking on Skype, or she almost hears it in the way he says goodnight after one of their long phone conversations. He doesn't even pull back as he says in between kisses, " I love you, too."

"So...we're PDAing pretty hardcore right now in front of the government," she smiles into his lips, but Jesse doesn't even remark back. He's too busy kissing her and making everyone around them stare.

So, on a hot day at the end of July, they make out on the lawn of the Washington Monument, with Jesse's hand sticky with orange juice and the school year approaching. She's going to have a good year. She can feel it.

He finally pulls back with a goofy grin, and plants a soft kiss on her forehead. His fingers graze her forehead and she thinks they could sit like this all day.

Jesse though, has other plans. He abruptly turns to grab the map. "I want to go to the zoo."

"What? Right now?" In the middle of making out, he wants to go to the zoo?

"Yep," he says, standing up and holding out his hand to her.

She looks at him, trying to figure him out, but then she gets it. He's trying to make it less traumatic for her that she just said she loves him. He knows it's a big step, for both of them, and now that the declarations out there, it's no reason for anything to get heavy or weird. She extends her hand to touch his as he hoists her off the ground.

"Alright nerd, you have the stupid map, lead the way," she replies, smiling herself, as they gather their things (her peeled orange included) and head towards the Metro station holding hands.

**Next up, back to Barden and problems for our couple.

Skylar Astin was in Spring Awakening on Broadway and his performance is amazing. Watch it on Youtube. He played the character, Georg.