A/N: a little angsty, this one, but hopefully still cute!

After the hayride, Chloe and Beca had shared a couple of bottles of wine with Kate and John, and watched a movie before bed but now, the brunette couldn't quite seem to turn her brain off. She'd been tossing and turning for hours, catching little naps here and there but nothing solid. Then she realized Dude was missing from her bed. She frowned as she wondered what he could be getting into (especially after the stew disaster), so she got up and headed out to look for him.

The brunette tried the kitchen first, figuring he was probably hungry or thirsty, but there was no sign of him. Then she tried the living room to see if he was tucked up on the couch. No Dude there either.

"Dude!" she loud whispered but there was no sign of her best friend downstairs, so she headed back upstairs, padding quietly on bare feet. She made her way along the upstairs hallway, wincing as the floor creaked noisily under her. Beca checked the spare bedrooms and bathrooms then sighed exasperatedly, wondering where else her dog could be. But then she paused at Chloe's bedroom door. It was ajar and Beca chuckled quietly, suddenly realizing exactly where Dude was.

The brunette slowly pushed the door open a little wider. A nightlight barely lit the room, and she smiled involuntarily as she saw Chloe fast asleep with Dude curled up beside her, snoring lightly. Then the redhead let out a tiny snore of her own and Beca just smiled wider, chest growing warm with affection for the woman she'd met only a couple of days prior. She leaned against the door jamb and watched her sleep for a few moments before easing the door closed again and returning to her own bedroom. But again, sleep was elusive and Beca found herself wishing that she was in Chloe's room with her, curled against her like her lucky dog.

Xx

It was Christmas Eve and Chloe was woken by the sound of something thudding against her bedroom window. She was overcome with a sense of excitement as she rubbed Dude's ears and then got up to look outside. Unsurprisingly, it was snowing, and she grinned as she saw Beca was already up and outside, sitting on a snowmobile, covered head to toe with warm clothes and with another snowball in her gloved hand. She let it loose and it hit the pane of glass in front of Chloe's chest, making her laugh as she opened the window to lean out and wave.

"Morning!"

"Morning!" the brunette called back. "I was beginning to think you were going to sleep all day! Get down here and let me take you for a ride!"

Chloe looked at the clock next to her bed. It read seven am and she laughed again and shook her head. "Give me five minutes!" She quickly dressed, brushed her teeth and got into her heavy jacket and snow boots, then bounded down the stairs and out into the side yard where her friend was waiting. "What are you doing up so early? Don't you music producer types normally party all night and sleep all day?" she teased as she tightened her scarf and pulled her beanie further down on her forehead.

Beca's eyebrows lifted behind her snow goggles. "And just how many music producers do you actually know, Doctor Beale?" she asked.

"Oh tons," the redhead solemnly replied. "I live a celebrity life!" Then she chuckled softly as she set her sunglasses on her nose against the snow's glare. "That's a total lie. I know one. Including you."

Beca shook her head and laughed softly. "Come on. Get on... and don't think for one second that I don't know my dog loves you more than he loves me. I saw you two in bed together last night!"

"Awwww," Chloe giggled. "Jealous?"

Beca scowled engagingly. "Maybe," she admitted as she started the engine. She felt Chloe's arms come around her waist and her warm body snuggle against her back. The redhead's chin rested on her shoulder as she spoke into her ear.

"Try not to kill us, ok? Dude needs you. And so do I."

A big smile lit the brunette's face, and all was right with the world once more. She hit the gas and Chloe squealed as she tightened her arms and held on for dear life, laughing as Beca took them over hills and into valleys at speeds that were definitely not safe. They caught air a couple of times too and Chloe pressed even closer against her friend to make sure she wouldn't slide off as they sailed through open space.

"You ok back there?" Beca yelled.

"I'm great!" the redhead yelled back. "You're a much better driver than Tom!"

"I know! I taught him!"

"Really?!"

"Yeah, he used to be a total wuss about shit like this!"

Chloe sniggered to herself. Tom was STILL a total wuss about shit like that. She normally did the driving with him holding on for dear life. Or used to, she recognized, but the memories didn't hurt as badly now as they had. Tom had said that their separation would give them a fresh start. She was starting to believe that maybe it was for the best; was starting to realize that maybe what she'd felt for him hadn't exactly been true love either.

Moments later, they were coming to a stop back at the Mitchells' side yard and Chloe hugged Beca as they both got off the snowmobile. "Holy shit, that was so fun!" the redhead exclaimed. Her teeth were chattering a little and her face was wind-rosy, but she felt free and just a little wild as she grabbed Beca's hand and spun her in a twirl before pulling her in for another tight hug. "Thank you."

Their eyes met and held. Chloe was suddenly frozen in the brunette's regard, hardly able to breathe, and she slowly unwrapped Beca's scarf to cup her cheek in her slightly trembling hand. The younger woman's cheeks were rosy too and her breath, suddenly coming a little faster, fogged the air around them. Chloe wanted to kiss her so badly she could almost taste it, but the brunette smiled. "We... um..." She swallowed hard. "We should get inside. Kate said she'd have breakfast ready when we got back."

"Bec," Chloe began, stroking her thumb slowly along the brunette's jawline. "I..."

But Beca just smiled and took the vet's hand away from her face, squeezing it gently as she shook her head and then turned to go inside. Chloe blew out a long breath and tried to settle her heart rate as her hand fell to her side. She wasn't really sure what had just happened, but she squared her shoulders and followed her friend inside.

Xx

Beca had left shortly after breakfast to run an errand, so Chloe took the opportunity to relax alone with Kate over a glass of wine as they waited for various cakes and cookies they'd prepared to bake in the oven.

The redhead was sitting on the couch, leaning on her hip with her legs crossed as she gazed out the window at the still falling snow.

"Doing ok, Honey?" the older woman asked as she watched the micro expressions cross her companion's face.

"Hmmm?" Chloe's eyes returned from their place far away. "Oh. Yeah, thanks. I'm ok."

Kata nodded, then took a deep breath. "So... Tom called this morning while you and Beca were outside."

The vet nodded, making a small questioning sound in the back of her throat.

"He said," Kate went on. "That he's actually coming tonight for Christmas after all. I told him you were here, and he seemed happy about it. In fact... he suggested that he'd maybe like to work things out with you."

A wave of panic suddenly rose in Chloe's chest, and she closed her eyes, shaking her head a little. "I..."

But then the front door opened and Beca came inside, shaking snow off her jacket and smiling... until she saw the expression on Chloe's face. She was across the room immediately, crouching in front of her and taking her hand. "What? What is it?" she asked worriedly.

"Tom... he's coming here," the redhead replied. She quickly gulped the last of her wine and got up. "I... I don't... I..."

"Hey," Beca said softly, pulling the taller woman into her arms and slowly rubbing her back. "Honey, just breathe, ok?" She glanced at Kate, who was watching them with some interest. Chloe's arms came around her and she took a deep shuddering breath. "That's it. Breathe. Everything's gonna be ok." She eased back and took the vet's hand again. "How about we take a walk? Get some air."

The redhead nodded as she tried to pull herself together and a few moments later, she was bundled up in her coat and Beca was leading her outside. They walked in silence for a while, then Chloe shook her head. "I'm sorry for losing it in there," she said. "When Kate said that maybe Tom wanted us to get back together I... I just..."

"I get it," Beca said quietly. "You miss him. Of course you'd want him back."

"But..." Chloe sighed. "That's just the thing. I DON'T want him back, Beca." She shook her head. "God, he was sooo fucking right. Making the break, giving us new starts without each other was the right thing to do. I hadn't realized how much I couldn't breathe with him... how much time I spent pandering to his every need... how much time I had to spend making him happy." She waved her hand, indicating around her. "I don't feel any of that here without him..." She paused and looked at her friend who had a small smile on her lips. "I don't feel any of that with you."

Beca's smile fell, and she looked down at her boots, shuffling her feet. Then her eyes lifted again. "You're killing me, you know?" she said softly.

Chloe's brows drew together in a frown. "What do you mean?"

"We've only known each other a few days but the way you look at me sometimes... like I'm important... I... I can't... you... we're..." Beca ran her hand through her hair as she tried to gather her thoughts. "You're going back to New York after the holidays, Chloe, and I'm going back to Los Angeles."

The redhead nodded slowly. "Firstly, you ARE important to me. And secondly, I know our lives are very different but... I can't help what I feel, Becs. Being with you these last few days has been... I really feel like I can breathe again."

The brunette sighed but shook her head ruefully. "I... get it... I do but..."

"You're not interested in being with me," Chloe said flatly.

Beca blinked. Then she swallowed hard and nodded jerkily. "No, I'm not. I'm sorry."

With a small, forced smile, Chloe leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Ok, then... I'm glad I have you as a friend." She turned then and headed back to the house, leaving Beca staring after her as her heart broke in her chest from the most painful lie she'd probably ever told.

Upstairs, Chloe sat on her bed, hand over her mouth as she stifled her tears. Why did everything have to be so fucking complicated?

Xx

Beca joined her aunt in the living room a short while later, smiling brightly as if her world hadn't just been worsened by her own decisions. Kate just gazed at her for a long moment and the brunette was beginning to feel uncomfortable when the older woman finally spoke.

"I always thought you were the intelligent one," she said. "Now I think I was wrong."

Beca's eyebrows shot up and she straightened on the couch, head tilted. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm not blind, Beca," Kate chuckled. "You like that girl and I thought you'd be smarter than Tom was."

The brunette's shoulders sank, and she shook her head. "Chloe's just a friend."

"And you're an idiot," the older Mitchell replied succinctly. "Have you seen the way she looks at you?"

Beca got up and began pacing back and forth in front of the Christmas tree, lifting her hands pleadingly. "Please don't make this any more difficult than it already is," she begged, glancing toward the stairs. "Chloe and I... can't... we just can't. Her life is in New York and mine is in Los Angeles."

Kate rolled her eyes and scoffed in disgust. "You're going to let that little thing keep you apart?"

Beca blinked disbelievingly. "It's three thousand miles!" she exclaimed.

The older woman nodded. "You know, back in the very early twentieth century, two guys invented a neat contraption called an airplane..."

It was Beca's turn to roll her eyes and she flopped back down on the couch in exasperation. "Kate..."

But Kate's face was serious then. "Listen to me, Beca Mitchell," she said. "I read the articles online. I saw the story about you and Marli breaking up. I read the speculatory hyperbole. But seeing you here... Seeing how reserved you've been... I have to ask... Is it true, Honey?"

Tears flooded Beca's eyes, and a sob escaped her chest as she nodded. "Yeah, it's true," she choked out. "It was bad, Aunt Kate."

The older woman moved over to her niece and sat next to her, pulling her into her arms. "I'm so sorry that happened to you," she whispered, kissing the top of Beca's head. "But Chloe isn't Marli. And even if you're not ready to be with someone new, don't write off something that could be amazing... because I think she cares about you too."

And Beca finally let herself feel the full horror of everything she'd been through and cried herself out in her aunt's arms... as Chloe sat on the stairs out of sight with her face streaked with tears too. She'd heard only the very end of the conversation, but hearing Beca sobbing broke her heart all over again.

Xx

"ChloeBear! I'm surprised you actually came after our conversation last week, but... it's good to see you."

Chloe kept her distance from her ex-boyfriend, giving him a tight smile and ducking around him to stand next to Beca as he tried to hug her. "Hello, Tom."

The man frowned a little but just looked to his cousin then. "And Beca, I thought you'd be spending Christmas in L.A. with that smoking hot girlfriend of yours. Oh... wait... did I hear you and Marli broke up?"

Beca's eyebrows lifted. "I don't know. Did you?" She turned and headed for the kitchen with Chloe hot on her heels.

"Bec..."

The brunette slowed down and turned, her face an angry scowl. "I always forget how much that guy pisses me off," she gritted out quietly.

Chloe's face gentled into a smile. "How about you just stay with me? We can silently hate him together."

As much as Beca didn't want to, she couldn't help but smile too. Somehow, Chloe's was infectious.

"Yeah," she replied as her cousin, aunt and uncle followed them in. "Let's do that."

"Oh look!" Tom exclaimed as he set his suitcase by the door and then pointed toward the ceiling. "You're standing under mistletoe!"

Chloe and Beca looked up to, sure enough, find a random sprig taped to the ceiling. Then they looked at each other. A light blush rose to the vet's cheek. "How very opportune," she said, looking pointedly at Kate, who sniggered behind her hand. "I wonder who put THAT there."

Tom nodded thoughtfully. "Well," he said. "It's tradition. You have to kiss."

Beca chuckled softly. "I'm all for tradition but I'm not sure that's what Chloe would..."

"Actually," Chloe interrupted mildly. "There's no one here I'd rather kiss than you."

Tom sucked in an indignant breath and Beca smirked. "Really?" she asked softly.

"Really," Chloe breathed.

Beca shrugged then and before she could stop herself, she pressed her hand to the redhead's hip and leaned into her. Chloe's eyes slowly fluttered shut as their lips brushed, the contact lingering just a second too long for it to be strictly chaste.

"Ok... enough, enough!" Tom exclaimed as he came across the kitchen. "Chloe's not a science experiment, Cousin."

The two women looked at each other. Beca suddenly realized that Chloe's fingers were moving against her stomach just above her belt buckle. Then the vet seemed to realize it too and she pulled her hand back, clearing her throat as she glanced at Kate, who was smiling broadly. "Why don't we have a beer," she said. She didn't dare look back at Beca and instead, squeezed her hand and headed to the fridge. Chloe handed out beer bottles to everyone and poured a glass of wine for Kate before leading them all into the living room to sit down, but Tom took her elbow and guided her aside for a moment to speak quietly to her.

"You look hot, Chlo," he said, looking her up and down not very subtly. "Want to go upstairs and let me show you how much I've missed you? I've been hard for you since I got here."

"Not if you were the last man on Earth, Thomas," the vet replied with raised eyebrows. She chuckled then. "Although I should probably thank you. Your breaking up with me is, frankly, the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. I'm finally free of your whiny bullshit." Her eyes automatically found Beca who was glaring at Tom with such contempt, it almost made her smile.

"Oh my God," the man exclaimed as something clicked for him. "You... you and Beca?"

"No," Chloe replied, tone even. "I'm not with Beca."

"Good," Tom said then and without any warning, pulled the redhead into his arms to kiss her, shoving his tongue roughly into her mouth as she gasped in surprise. It took a moment of utter shock to wear off before Chloe shoved him off her and slapped him hard across the face, but somehow, in that moment, her friend had disappeared.

"Asshole!" she exclaimed, shoving him again as he tried to grab her once more.

Then John was there, grabbing his son and shaking him hard. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" he exclaimed angrily. "Leave Chloe alone!"

"Ok! Ok!" Tom exclaimed holding up his hands. "I'm sorry. It's just... the things you do to me, ChloBear!"

"Don't call me that!" the vet spat, then looked around frantically but Beca was nowhere to be seen. She lifted her hands and clenched them into her hair, sighing heavily. "Shit."