Aubrey's POV
It's the piercing head splitting screams that wake Aubrey up from where she was napping with her head resting against the ice-cold wall. When she glanced into Beca's hospital room she realized that the screams where Beca who had woken up and was screaming in terror at her father. She didn't know why Beca was screaming but she just knew she had to do something. So she went in.
"Mr. Mitchell, no offence but I think you should leave."
"She woke up and she barely let me get three words out before…" at this Beca's dad just gestured vaguely as if words we're failing the normally concise English professor before he just walked out of his daughter hospital room. The moment her dad left Beca stopped screaming but she still looked terrified out of her mind her purple bruises stood out against the paleness of Beca's face.
"Hey, Beca. It's okay" as she said this she started inching closer to Beca who quickly shifted away from Aubrey still terrified.
"It's me. Aubrey. I'm not going to hurt you I promise. I'll never hurt you." Shifting closer all the while until she was closer to Beca but not so close to send her back into a panic. She held her hand out to Beca hoping that Beca would take it. All the while murmuring soft reassurances to her. It was probably five minutes later that Beca finally reached out and grabbed Aubrey's hand. Beca's hand was cold and trembling with a strength strong enough that Aubrey's whole arm was shaking along with it. And Aubrey's heart broke a little more.
"You know Beca, I missed you so much. I never gave up on you, on us" Beca looked like she wanted to say something to Aubrey. She kept swallowing and opening her mouth before closing it looking more and more frustrated as it kept going before she broke down and had tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Hey, hey Beca. It's okay" Aubrey opened up her arms before continuing "Come here, babe. It's okay" Beca didn't even hesitate this time before collapsing into Aubrey's arms sobbing hysterically. Aubrey gripped Beca tight trying to provide some sort of support and comfort. Trying to be the pillar of strength she knew Beca needed so desperately. She could feel Beca's ribs under her hospital gown while she was hugging her. That by itself was a sure enough sign that Beca was malnourished backed up by the fact that Beca's own doctor had told them so.
"Beca, babe. I am so sorry that you had to go through this. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you" Aubrey lifted herself up onto Beca's bed while never once letting go of her and positioned herself in a more comfortable position next to Beca. Ready for a long night exactly where she belonged. Next to Beca.
"I'm here Beca and I'm never letting go"
&*!#.&*!#.&*!#.&*!#.
"Hey you can't be on the bed" was what woke Aubrey up for the second time that night. It was a startled exclamation from a nurse. A nurse who mind you hadn't been here earlier to witness Beca's state before Aubrey climbed onto the bed. So Aubrey could be excused for not really caring about the nurse.
"I'm her girlfriend. That has to mean something"
"Hospital policy ma'am. I'm sorry but you have to get off the bed" there was no way she was going to win against this nurse not when hospital policy was involved. Aubrey knew how seriously hospitals took their policy.
"Okay." Her voice came out a lot more defeated than she wanted but it had been a long week. A long year really. She readjusted herself to get into a better position to get off the uncomfortable hospital bed only to be stopped by Beca whimpering and clutching her shirt.
"Okay so I'm not getting off. Go get her doctor. She'll back me up on this."
"I assure you ma'am it is hospital policy but under the circumstances… I'll be back with her doctor in a minute."
"Thank you" at that Aubrey once more positioned herself against Beca who hadn't moved or made a sound since that last desperate whimper for Aubrey to stay. It was probably only 5 minutes later that Doctor Richards walked back into Beca's hospital room.
"Uh Aubrey, Nurse Matthews called me"
"Yes and with all due respect I'm not leaving this bed. Beca needs me and I'm not going to fail her. Not again."
"I'm not going to make you leave the bed. Under the circumstances I do actually think its best that you stay with Beca as long as she wants you to"
"Thank you"
"No worries. I do actually need to discuss some details with you and her father about tomorrow but that can wait until the morning"
"Okay. I'll tell him. And thanks once again"
&*!#.&*!#.&*!#.&*!#.
The doctor didn't come back again until around 10 am in the morning. By that time Chloe had arrived with coffee for her and Aubrey and was now sitting in a chair by the wall. Aubrey however remained in the bed next to a now awake Beca. Mr. Mitchell had also returned but retreated quickly when Aubrey noticed that Beca was showing signs of freaking out again.
"Good morning ladies" the doctor said hustling around the room while glancing at Beca's chart and the various machines that were still connected to her before turning back to face Beca.
"Beca, I'm just going to borrow Aubrey for a second out in the hall okay. Chloe will stay with you though. Won't you Chloe?"
"Yeah definitely. I'll stay with you Beca" with that the Doctor walked out into the hall gesturing with her hand for Aubrey to follow her.
"I'll just be a minute Becs okay. I'll be back. Promise"
&*!#.&*!#.&*!#.&*!#.
When Aubrey walked into the hall to talk to the Doctor she saw Beca's dad already waiting out there with the Doctor. Aubrey had barely reached them before the Dr. Richards started talking. Obviously trying to end the conversation so Aubrey could return to Beca.
"Beca is able to be released this afternoon. She has to be under supervision due to this fact I would recommend that she stays with Aubrey or some other person that she is comfortable with. Unfortunately, Mr. Mitchell in my professional opinion Beca cannot be released into your care due to the fact that she becomes hysterical when she sees you. Aubrey can you do it or is there someone else I should be talking to?"
"No I can do it."
"Great. In that case I can release Beca this afternoon I'll just need you to sign some forms. Beca can't be left alone until at least 48 hrs from her release. Since she is severely malnourished start her food off in small portions and eventually increase them to normal portions. She should be eating normally within 2 weeks hopefully. I will also give Mr. Mitchell names of some psychologists. I highly recommend that Beca speak to someone soon. In saying that the police wanted me to tell you they'll be dropping by to see Beca at yours either this evening or tomorrow morning to grab her statement." Dr. Richards left that conversation at that and began to walk down the hallway before eventually turning the corner.
"Mr. Mitchell are you okay with this?"
"Would it matter if I weren't?"
"With all due respect sir no it wouldn't. Beca is my number one priority right now in fact she always has been from the moment we started dating. If staying with me is in her best interests, then she can stay with me in fact I would have suggested it anyway. I was just asking if you were okay?"
"Sorry. My emotions are all over the place since last night. Of course she should stay with you, you can take better care of her than I would be able to. I just don't know why she freaks whenever she sees me"
"What happened when she woke up?"
"She woke up, looked around a little and when her eyes focused on me I started speaking to her and then she started becoming hysterical." Once more Mr. Mitchell made the same shrugging hand gesture had he had earlier.
"So not straight away upon seeing you"
"No"
"What did you say?"
"I'm not really sure, I think I said something along the lines of your safe now Beca sweetheart, but don't quote me on that."
"Yeah I don't know. Maybe she'll tell me later."
"Has she said anything to you about what happened?"
"Not yet. She's barely said 3 words really. She said morning when she woke up and she said hello to Chloe but that's it really."
&*!#.&*!#.&*!#.&*!#.
"Beca, the doctor is going to be releasing you this afternoon and you'll be staying with Chloe and me, okay?" Aubrey didn't even bother glancing over at Chloe to make sure she was okay with it. She knew she would be. Chloe had been just as worried as she was.
"What do you think happened to her?"
"I don't know Chloe, give me some space would you. You've been hassling me non-stop this last week." Aubrey didn't mean to be so brusque but all the stress from the past week was bound to come out sometime and unfortunately Chloe was caught in the firing ling.
"Sorry, Bree." Chloe had this tendency of looking a lot like a kicked puppy when she was sad and right now she was sporting that kicked puppy look perfectly.
"No, I'm sorry Chlo I know you're just trying to help. I just need some space to think. I'm scared out of my mind for her right now."
"I know Bree; I'm worried about her too but seriously though Bree when was the last time you slept?"
"Uh two days ago I think?"
"Go to bed Bree."
"I can't I have to-"
"GO to bed Bree, I'll hold down the fort for a couple of hours. You're not going to help Beca if you self-combust"
"The police-"
"I'll handle the police and the Bellas and anything else that pops up okay. Go to bed"
"You'll wake me if?"
"I'll wake you"
Beca didn't really look like she totally agreed with that statement that she was staying at Aubrey's and looked like she was ready to argue about it. Aubrey's assumption was proved correct when Beca opened her mouth and started to do exactly that.
"I can just go back to my dorm."
"No way Becs. There's no way Aubrey and I are letting you do that."
"I don't want to impose"
"You won't be Becs I promise. We have a spare room anyway might as well utilize it"
"Okay." Beca gave in surprisingly quickly considering the fact that previous arguments with her could go on several minutes but when Aubrey glanced at Beca's hands and saw that even this small barely even a disagreement disagreement had shaken Beca enough that her hands were starting to tremble again.
"Hey Beca look at me. It's going to be okay I promise you. Okay you'll be okay. Okay?" Beca didn't really respond to that other than a small shrug but Aubrey saw the trembling slowly stop.
"Beca the doctor doesn't want to release you till this afternoon so you can go back to sleep if you want?"
"Okay." At that Beca started to close her eyes and just when Aubrey thought she might be asleep again her eyes opened and darted over to meet Aubrey's.
"Bree?"
"Yes?"
"I love you"
"I love you too Beca so much. Go to sleep" a sleepy nod came from Beca before she finally drifted into a much needed sleep. Aubrey was glad that Beca was asleep because she finally allowed the Beca's words to properly impact her. Beca loved her. It hadn't been a year but it felt like longer since Aubrey had heard those words from Beca. She had almost given up on ever hearing those words from Beca again. And hearing them said to her in a voice that practically oozed the fact that Beca didn't think Aubrey would say them back broke her a little more than seeing Beca again had.
"Aubrey?"
"Yes Chloe?"
"She's alive."
"She's alive"
It was dark and the only light source in the apartment was coming from the muted TV as some baking show was taking place on the screen. So Aubrey could only make out Chloe's face every couple of seconds when the light hit her face just right but Aubrey had been friends with Chloe long enough that she didn't need to see Chloe's face to understand the emotions that where plaguing her friend. Partly because they had been friends for so long and partly because they were the same emotions that were plaguing Aubrey.
"Bree?"
"Yes Chloe?"
"It's been six months Bree. What do you think happened?"
"I don't know Chloe. I don't know"
"Do you think-" Chloe hesitated a moment as if physically unable to form the words before continuing "Do you think she's still alive Bree?"
"I don't know Chloe I don't know"
AN: Hey guys sorry this took longer than I expected. I still planning on finishing it I am going to finish it. I have just lost my motivation had had to physically force myself to edit this chapter and start on the next one last night because my tutor CRUSHED MY SOUL, MY HOPES AND MY DREAMS. I got a really bad grade on my creative writing assignment for my second year uni course and really really rude feedback and there was a period of time that I was like I AM NEVER WRITING AGAIN CAUSE I SUCK but considering the fact that I'm a writing major that would be incredibly bad. Plus I like writing, I don't like that I apparently suck at it but I like it. ANYWAY another of my sulking please review guys and follow me on Tumblr the-essence-of-awesomenesss
Oh next chapter should be up sooner than this one potentially granted I finish moving and somehow gain back my motivation but fear not this story will not be abandoned. I promise.
