"Why are you 2 late?" Yelled my other best friend as soon as we walked through the door. I saw the other Bellas muttering and money exchanging hands. Aubrey saw the bruises on my arm and looked at me in concern. Then she turned to Beca. "What did you do, Mitchell?"

"Other than save Chloe from a possibly insane, definitely aggressive ex that had her pinned up against the performing arts block? Nothing!" She yelled back. I shot her a look. More money swapped hands.

"Chloe, is that true?" Aubrey asked, angry, now. She's always treated me like her little sister.

"Yeah. Tom. I'm fine. He's not."

"Chloe, what do you mean you're fine? Look at your arm! Wait, he's not?"

"I kicked his ass." Beca said smugly.

"Did you need stilts?"

"Oh, ha ha ha, Aubrey."

"So what happened?" Stacie practically yelled.

I took a breath before I started. I told the entire story, start to finish.

Any was the first to speak. "Damn, Shaw shank, you got moves!" I laughed.

"Good work, hobbit." Aubrey praised her.

"Thanks, but stop calling me hobbit! My height always comes into this!" Everyone was laughing by now.

"Wait." Everyone turned to Cynthia Rose, who had spoken. "It's great that you stopped him from potentially raping Chloe, but can't he go to the police?"

Beca went pale, well... palER. I grabber her hand and Stacie, seeing what I was doing, winked at us. I ignored her and instead turned to Aubrey. "Bree? What does our legal expert have to say?" (A/N~ I saw Anna Camp play Caitlin in The Good Wife, and am now obsessed with the idea of Aubrey being a lawyer, too.)

Aubrey muttered something about hardly being an expert before talking a bit louder. "Tom can't go to the police because after asking him under normal circumstances, then under lie detector and he can't tell them that Beca beat him up without provocation, and he can't report it without admitting to abuse, assault and possible rape."

"So, I'm in the clear?" Beca asked, frowning. It's so cute when she scrunches her forehead like that. Whoa, where'd that idea come from?

"From the police? Yeah. The rest of campus? Different story. By now, at least the entire football team has been told Tom's warped version of events. They would've told their girlfriends who would have tweeted it. If people believe it, you're screwed." She explained with a grimace.

"Don't worry," I reassured her, grabbing her hand. "You'll be fine. So will I. Worst case scenario, you get another reason to be called a badass. I get called a horny girlfriend" I said the word with distaste, "and we get asked if we're together."

"Wait, what!? No offense, Chlo."

"None taken. Well, you did freak out and kick my exes ass when he got too close to me, and no one outside of this room, other than him, knows that Tom's abusive, or was. They'll think I dumped him for you." Beca opened & closed her mouth several times.

"Oi, Shaw shank! You'll catch flies!" Beca closed her mouth.

"Thanks, that was doing weird things to me."

"Really, Stace?" Beca raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you may be a foot shorter than me, but you're still hot! Although, I have to say, I still prefer tall blondes." She added, winking at Bree, who blushed. I wonder...

"Moving on. Chlo, you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, Bree. I'm fine." I said, nodding.

"Great. Then back to work! Let's go, people!"

I sighed & went to teach the Bellas the routine. Half an hour later, everybody knew the routine & could perform it perfectly. Everybody except, it seems, Beca. She couldn't quite nail the hand motions, so I taught her the same way as before. Me stood behind her, holding her body against mine & moving her hands for her. I saw people muttering and money exchanging hands out of the corner of my eye.

"Hey, Chloe, why is your ass green?"

"What?" I ask, looking at my white skinny jeans. I twist & sure enough there is a big green stain on my butt. "Crap. These are brand new. Beca!" I yell in mock annoyance. Everyone else looks at us questioningly. I answer. "On the way here I made a couple of height jokes which our vertically challenged friend here took offense to. Then she started chasing me around the quad 'til she rugby tackled me & we landed on the ground."

"How'd you land?" Lilly asked me, at least, that's what I think she said.

"Oh, like this." Before I think about it, I grab Beca and pull her down onto the floor. I turn her to face me. I manipulate our bodies so our legs are locked and her arms are around my waist. Then I roll over so she is laying on top of me. Our faces are once again inches apart. More muttering. More money. Then it's over. Beca stands up. I straighten my clothes and accept her hand up.

Fat Amy breaks the silence. She coughs and says "toner." Cue giggles.

The Cynthia Rose speaks. "I always had a feeling Beca would be on top." More laughing. I glance at Beca and her face is bright red.

"Maybe we should check with Jesse." Stacie jokes.

"No Jesse. Not anymore." Beca says, suddenly sad.

"Aw, Becs, what happened?" I ask, inwardly rejoicing. She looked anywhere but me and said "there was someone else." CR offers to beat the 'other girl' up. Stacie offers to John Tucker him. I smile. That whole idea was practically based off me. Lilly said something about fire and chainsaws. I take note of who says what, just for future reference.

Then I hear, "that's the end of practice for today. Same time tomorrow, ladies."

Beca is first out. I watch her go and sigh, then I follow her.