"What did you pack in here? A dead body?" Cynthia Rose wheezed as she lifted the suitcases in the back of the van. Marty and Jessica were putting the other bags in too.

"Yes," was all Lily muttered before walking away.

Cynthia Rose set the bag down slowly and stared suspiciously at it. She turned to Beca and frowned. "We better believe her. I don't want to go to jail."

"She's just joking, right?" Beca shook her head before realizing this was Lily they were talking about. "Right?!"

They were on their way to New York to fight to keep their ICCA title. For the last few weeks, Beca had been drilling them, so much so she heard Fat Amy singing in her sleep once. They were more than ready. They were ready to defend what was theirs, what they worked so hard for last year.

"My father always said, 'Second place is second place', Beca," Aubrey said to her in the last Skype conversation.

"Wait, are you sure?" Beca feigned ignorance.

"Well it's not first."

"Is this a scientific fact?"

Aubrey frowned. "It's basic math."

"I was never good at math."

"You're making fun of me," Aubrey shook her head.

"No I'm just trying to be sure of what second place means," Beca shrugged.

"It mean, not winning," Aubrey glared at her.

"Gotcha."

She was so sure they could pull it off, they had to, not just for win, they had to do it for morale purposes. Not to sound bitchy to their fellow a capella peeps but, they deserved to win. The Bellas deserved to rock the shit out of that stage, backflip across it to get their trophy and then collectively shove it up Bumper's ass. Or at least that was her vision of winning.

After getting everything packed in, the Bellas piled into their rented van.

"Everyone ready?"

"I'm so ready for some New York penis," Stacie replied.

"Okay," Beca sighed. "Other than that?"

"Guys, maybe we should pray before we get on the road? Like a prayer circle. Seeing as we did rent the van that caught on fire that one time," Ashley offered.

"There's not that much fire damage. It was cheaper with our budget," Beca frowned, leaning back in her seat. "How fair is it the boys have their bus?"

Marty took her seat. "We need, like, a faculty sponsor or something."

"I think we have one, she like, went to rehab the year before last or something," Reagan took her seat beside Marty.

Beca shook her head. "Well, that sucks. At least she's getting the help she needs...I guess."

"Sponsor? I know a guy who knows a guy who can do that," Stacie looked up from her phone to say.

"You know alot of guys, in various ways," Fat Amy stated but Stacie was back on her phone texting.

"Okay okay. Settle down. Let's focus on what we have now. No, we don't have a coach bus to take us to New York but we have each other, and a working van, and my dad's triple A card in case this catches on fire again, and we're going to New York to kick ass, again," Beca tried to cheer them on. The girls looked at her blankly.

Cynthia Rose tried to help her. "Let the boys have their bus. We don't need a bus. We've got Fat Amy driving our sexy asses there. We're going to get to finally see the city, thanks to Beca. We're going to have fun!"

The girls smiled and settled in their seats. Beca mouthed a thank you to Cynthia Rose.

"I hope their bus crashes and falls into the river after catching on fire," Fat Amy turned around to the girls gasping at her rage filled reply. Fat Amy buckled herself in nonchalantly.

"Amy!" Ashley squeaked.

Cynthia Rose replied, "That's fucked up. You just killed Benji."

"And Jesse," Beca said, buckling in.

"Fine," Amy started up the van. "Everyone else but Bumper survives, okay? So are we gonna do this fucking pray circle or what?"

She had just closed her eyes when he asked, "Are you excited about the Finale?"

"No."

"Liar."

"Truth."

"You're really not?"

She shrugged. She really just wanted to lay here, and feel his skin against hers. Not talk about her feelings about the ICCAs. For a second, she wanted to not think about them. Jesse had done a fine job distracting her earlier from doing just that. But she knew Jesse and she knew he wasn't going to let that happen all night. Was she excited? A little, excited in the sense that she felt her girls were the best but nervous that there was a wildcard out there somewhere. After all, last year, they were the wildcard.

Jesse rested his chin atop her head. "Okay, well, I'll start. For the first time, I'm totally nervous. Or anxious. I can't decide which. I was only like this once, when I first joined the chorus in high school. I mean here I am, the hot guy of the school-"

"Sure..." she rolled her eyes and he pinched her side.

"And I'm singing lead in Rent. I mean, what a rush."

"You sure had some very high scale musical productions at your school," she said, her brow furrowed. "Spring Awakening, Rent. I think we only did really off putting rendition of Annie."

"My teacher was on Broadway. Anyway, I'm getting that feeling again, like anything can happen."

"Is that defeat I hear in your voice?"

"Never. But admit it, you're a little excited too."

"I think I know myself."

"Do you? Do any of us really know ourselves?"

"Stop talking now. It's getting too deep."

"That's what she said."

"I wish you had a mute button."

As he laughed, his chest rose and fell, and Beca reveled in the vibration of laid in the darkness of her room. It was the night before they were leaving to go to New York. Fat Amy was slowly getting back to her old self, having found a guy to take her out for the night. Tomorrow, they would be rivals once again, wishing for the other to have egg on their face and lose big. It would all be laid out on the same stage they laid their relationship bare on. Tonight though, still at Barden, they were simply Jesse and Beca, they were together, holding each other, and listening to each other breathe.

His fingers stroked her scalp and she finally whispered out her true feelings. Not just a bitchy response. She was admitting this to herself more than to him. "Okay, so, I'm a little anxious."

"There it is."

"But I am. For the girls. They need this. They need to have something good happen to them. What if...there's a lot of competition out there. I mean, they just... I want to make what has happened up to them."

"You don't have to make it up to them. It wasn't your fault, " he said quietly. "You deserve to have that feeling too. You smiled so big last year, so bright, I never saw you be so happy. I think you deserve to have that feeling again."

"You're right. I deserve to win."

"To be clear, I mean, seriously, the Trebles are pretty fucking awesome ourselves. So you might deserve to win, but I'm not saying you're gonna," he smiled and she pushed at his side. He just snuggled closer and kissed her hair. "Seriously, whatever happens, just know, I'm very proud of you, Beca."

She was quiet for a moment, because Jesse was so sincere. He was proud of her ability to lead, of her strength, of her honesty no matter how it hurt. She's finally learned to fight for them (the Bellas and Jesse), to stop pushing him away, instead drawing him closer. He's proud of her for finally being the college student she is, getting her grades back together. She's made sacrifices, not going to L.A. as planned and not working at the radio station, but she's gained so much more, Beca thought. She's gained her friends, she's gained a reason to involve herself, she's gained a newer understanding of her father's position in her life, and she's gained Jesse. She closed her eyes and breathed him in.

"Hey," she felt his warm breathe whisper across her forehead and she looked up. "Did you fall asleep on me?"

Beca shook her head. "No, just thinking..."

"Uh oh. Who taught you to do that?"

"Shut up."

"I'm sorry."

"Just thinking how awesome it is to have my own personal cheerleader."

"Wearing the little skirt and everything. Screaming 'We are the Champions' from the stands."

"No, no...that song from Chariots of Fire."

"You mean, the theme? Which is technically a score, not a song. "

"Yes score nerd, I mean that."

They both laughed this time, the slickness of their bodies and the heat was strong between them. She loved moments like this, just the two of them, naked, honest and cloaked in the dark like a cocoon. It took a lot to get to this point in their relationship, where she just wanted to lay in his arms and listen to him drone on about whatever Jesse-isms he had that day. Her arms were snaked around his solid frame, and Jesse despite his youth was a strong solid man. He might still be youthful, he might still be so immature as to eat Fruity Pebbles, but he was a man to her. He was her male equivalent, someone equally strong and proud.

"I'm proud of you too, ya know."

"But I haven't done anything. Wait, is this for that thing I did with my tongue earlier?"

"In general."

"Thank you," he bent down and left a hint of a kiss on her forehead. "Even if I win?"

"Jesse?"

"Yeah?"

She lifted her head up and moved over him slightly, her eyes focusing in the dark. She found his eyes staring back at her, amused, bewildered at her sudden movements. She said nothing for a moment, just leaned over him, her hair falling like curtains around them both. His smile faded a bit; maybe he was nervous, or aroused, or both. Either was good enough for her. Her hand laid across his chest, the hard muscles perked underneath. Aroused, definitely. Beca leaned down, getting so close their lips were brushing against each other, her smile spreading as she whispered, "You won't be winning..."

"Okay, who ordered the rain?" Beca muttered as they unloaded their van in front of the hotel. It was right across the street from the theatre, which was awesome, but unfortunately it was pouring cats and dogs and there was no fun way to see the city for the girls.

They formed a line to get all of their things off the van and protected by the hotel awning. Nothing like a little teamwork, Beca thought proudly.

Just like that, the Treblemakers bus pulled in front of the hotel and settled to a stop, letting out a blast of black exhaust in the girls' direction. The Bellas yelped and dove out the way, coughing as the bus doors flew open and the Trebles began to file out. Beca put her hand over the lids of her eyes to shield her vision. The boys filed out looking over at the Bellas and a few smirked. Assholes.

But the one she most wanted to punch was Bumper, who filed off and looked over at them, his face blank and stupid.

Benji walked off the bus and then Jesse, and they noticed the Bellas standing in the rain right away.

The boys both jogged over. Jesse pulled his hood back a bit in the rain and looked at Beca. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, just hunting elephants," Beca said sarcastically. She blew a wet strand of hair out of her eye. Seriously, boys sometimes.

He pursed his lips at her usual snarkiness. "Smartass. Do you need help with your bags?"

"Should we trust a Treble? How do we know you're not trying to sabotage us?" Jessica asked.

"We wouldn't, " Benji replied, honestly. "Just want to help."

He shoved his hands into his jeans and ducked as the rain hit them. Jesse looked over to Beca.

"I promise not to throw your bag in the river."

"Let them do the grunt work; my new shirt is getting soaked through," Stacie replied.

"Um, did you wear a bra today?" Cynthia Rose asked as the water made Stacie's shirt see through and suddenly very clingy.

"Of course not," Stacie replied, gingerly.

After the guys helped unload the bags, Beca gave the keys to the valet who parked the van for them. They all stood in separate groups in the hotel lobby, being in the same place all together since the spring break up blitz attack. The girls were shooting daggers at the boys who tried to focus on everything in the lobby but the other group while Bumper and Beca stood at the counter, checking in.

"Your room keys," the concierge smiled, handing Beca the keys. Bumper looked up in the air, poking out his cheeks. She could see him catching glimpses of Fat Amy, and trying to act as if the art deco of the lobby was very interesting suddenly. Boys are stupid, was all Beca could think. She took the keys and glared at Bumper one more time before going back to the girls.

"All checked in," Beca glanced over at Jesse, giving him a small wave.

"Let's get out of this lobby," Fat Amy replied as Bumper approached his group near by. "Something smells foul in here. Like garbage."

As the girls walked towards the elevator, Beca could have swore she saw a hurt look on Bumper's stupid face.

"You can't tell me not to shout YOLO."

"It's just so stupid. I am simply saying the complexities of a YOLO existence is just ridiculous. You can't do drugs, drink, eat carbs and still shout YOLO because you are literally shaving time off of your life. You obviously don't want to live and therefore are in fact suicidal."

"That's stupid."

"Here's stupid. You drank two red bulls and haven't eaten a vegetable in six days. Not YOLO bro, not YOLO."

"How about you YOLO on my nuts?"

Beca and Fat Amy looked wide eyed as the doors opened and inside the elevator were about half of the Trebles, including Bumper. As usual, the idiots were in the midst of one of their many stupid conversations, this one about YOLO. Beca looked over at Amy for confirmation to get on the elevator with them, and Fat Amy straightened her shoulders and sashayed right in. The boys shifted to the other side and Beca jammed her finger against the button to go down. Tonight was the night. The competition was on. The girls were on their way down later, but Chloe had flown in to support them so she was going to greet her in the lobby.

She tried to ignore the fact they were sharing a confined space with Hat, Uni, Brendan, Kolio, and Bumper. They rode down in silence for the rest of the way, her back burning as she was sure they were all glaring at her. The ride was torturously slow and she wanted so much for some wormhole to open up and get her to the lobby faster. Beca heard the sound of a wounded bird come from someone's throat, and she looked over to Amy whose eyes were burned straight ahead to the doors of the elevator. The sound happened again and Beca followed it to the back corner where Bumper stood.

He cleared his throat with this strange sound again, and she saw the other Trebles stare at him in confusing. Was he trying to get her attention? She hoped not. But he did it once more, his own stare focused on the back of Amy's head.

"Ahhhh-hemmmm," he grunted louder but Amy didn't flinch.

"Dude?" Brenda whispered and Bumper waved him off.

Of course. He wanted Amy's attention. Was he trying to psyche her out before the competition? That troll was so predictable. Beca regretted even getting on the elevator when she saw them. And why was it taking so long to get from the eight floor to the first? What kind of elevator was this? She should tell the concierge about the delay.

Bumper finally took the leap and said, "A-Amy-"

"This little shit is calling my name," Fat Amy chuckle bitterly before she whipped around, her eyes fierce and her finger pointed right in his face. "Did you hear him, Beca? Calling my name? His hearing loss from the night he locked me out of the house as I was yelling his name must have miraculously be cured!"

"Listen just-"

"No. You listen, you special fuck. Stay away from me. Matter of fact, get off the elevator."

Bumper looked a little befuddled at her request. "I can't. How do you expect me to-?"

"FIGURE IT OUT!"

Bumper looked so confused, and Beca can honestly say that is the one time she felt bad for Bumper Allen. He looked down at his maroon vest and then back at Fat Amy, softly saying, "Patricia, please-"

Beca's eyes widened. No one called her Patricia. No one.

"Don't you dare!" Fat Amy hissed. "You don't get to call me that!"

"What do I call you then? It's like, your name."

"You don't get to call me anything. Asshole!"

Bumper's eyes lowered and the boys cowered against the wall of the elevator. Beca placed her hands on Amy's arm. She'd never seen her so mad. Part of her was proud though, proud that Amy was finally able to let out her anger and hurt at Bumper.

The Treble shook his head and sadly replied, "I was just going to say you look really pretty."

"Oh I look pretty, Beca. Do you hear that?" Amy quipped bitterly, but Beca knew she wasn't really asking her.

Bumper at that point seemed miffed. "It was a compliment."

"Let me tell you something, you chubby little beanie baby bastard, you can take your compliments, and your too small vest and shove it up your ass. And your songs with John Mayer, sucked. That's right, I heard his tape. SUCKED. "

Bumper gasped. "Take that back!"

"Never!" Amy hissed defiantly.

"Come on," Beca said calmly, touching her friend's arm. "Come on Amy."

Despite Beca's plea, the two kept their eyes locked for a long moment, making everyone in the elevator uncomfortable. The elevator dinged as they reached the lobby, opening to an older couple stood outside waiting to board. When they saw no one was exiting the elevator and the girls were blocking the door, the couple seemed annoyed.

"Um, are you done here?" the waiting woman asked to everyone inside.

"I really have to got to the bathroom," her husband begged.

His wife looked at the strange group again. "He really does."

"I think we all do," Uni mumbled, looking over at Bumper who was still in the corner.

"I think Bumper already went on himself," Brendan mumbled back.

Beca looked from the couple and back over to Amy. "Amy, let's go."

Finally Fat Amy backed out of the elevator and crossed the lobby with Beca. Beca wasn't sure if it was unresolved sexual tension or hate she saw filter between them.

The boys filed out and around Bumper who looked devastated, but Beca couldn't focus on him now. She wanted to make sure Fat Amy was okay.

"Hey? Are you-?"

"I want to kick him in the face. Hard."

"I know but I don't want you to ruin your shoes," Beca tried to comfort her with a joke.

"That felt good," Amy said, smiling a little.

"I bet."

"He said I looked pretty," Amy's face suddenly dropped a bit. "What do you think he meant by that?"

Beca rubbed her friend's back, thinking about what Jesse had been trying to tell her. Bumper still carried a torch, obviously. She could be cruel and pour water on the torch by telling Amy he was just playing her, as usual. But she wasn't going to. Instead she told her the truth, "That you really do look pretty."

Amy gave her a honestly confused look as Chloe walked up to them. Beca stood up and hugged her.

"Chloe, hey."

"Hey guys! I just saw the Trebles walk out of here."

"Yeah. Had a little confrontation there in the elevator." Beca looked down at a smiling Amy.

Chloe frowned. "They were trying to tell Bumper not to go through with something. Bumper said he would anyway. What's that about? He said he had something to prove now."

"What?" Beca looked over at Chloe. What were they planning?

Chloe's eyes widened. "I don't know, but it's probably something big to win this whole thing. I hope we're on our game."

Amy slapped her legs as she stood up. "He can't do anything to us. Let the little troll bring it. Nothing he can do can get to us anymore. Especially me."

~HAHAHAHA. You thought I was dead didn't you? I'm not. I'm still here. Thank you for all the messages checking up on me. I'm so sorry. The semester has ended now and I can focus on finishing this up. 2-3 more chapters. Also, writers block was a bitch and a half. And the worst thing about writer's block? You get ideas for other awesome stories other than the one you are struggling to write. It sucks.