Late Night Laughs

Beca had noticed early on in the Barden Bellas that if something was wrong, they went to Chloe. Chloe Beale, sweet Chloe, had the calming influence (probably the reason she was becoming an elementary school teacher).

So, Beca didn't know how to react when Chloe was the one breaking down.

"So, uh", she said unsurely, pacing the Bellas rehearsal space with the phone pressed to her ear.

"Chloe's demanding you guys take a road trip out here", Aubrey said quietly on the other end of the phone. "Actually she said we needed to drive over to you, but she's in no fit state to drive. So I think its best you get the Bellas together and get over here".

"Right now?"

It was Friday afternoon. It was Friday afternoon and Chloe was suffering from heartbreak and the Bellas bus had a full tank of gas.

(When had her life turned out like that?)

"Okay", she said.

Once her phone was back in her bag, she turned to her Bellas.

"Alright, there's been a slight change of plans", she said unsurely. "So, we're taking a road trip. Go and get ready and meet at the bus in forty five minutes. Fat Amy?"

"I'll get the bus ready", the Australian volunteered.

(She also wasn't sure where Fat Amy had been made the official Bellas driver but if it meant she didn't have to drive, she didn't care.)

"Good". Beca smiled. "Alright, I'll see you all soon".

They departed in their separate directions, Beca choosing to head towards Jesse and Benji's dorm.

"Hey Becs!" Jesse said in surprise, as she let herself in. "what happened to Bellas practice?"

"I need to borrow some movies", she said instead, flopping onto his bed and scanning the shelves. "Help me out here".

"I'm so proud!" Jesse clutched his heart dramatically and Beca rolled her eyes.

"Nerd", she shot. "We're taking a Bellas road trip. Help a girl out".

"Why?"

"I didn't get the full story but I heard Chloe sobbing hysterically so we're taking a trip. I'm apparently That Girl". She sighed. "So, help. I'm thinking something really soppy and chick flickish, so help. I don't do that".

"I know".

(Beca Mitchell was probably the only girl on planet earth who hadn't seen The Notebook. Jesse was disgusted.)

Jesse got to work immediately, scanning his shelves and sliding out DVDs for her. In the end she snatched up a bag off his desk chair, piling them all inside.

"Jesse, how long do you think we'll be gone for?" she asked incredulously.

"You're welcome". He presented her with The Notebook, and she grinned at his cheesiness. Pecking a kiss to his lips, she snatched up her bag of movies.

"Thank you!"

"Drive safely!"

"Hey Beca?" Stacie leaned over the seat, filing her nails as she spoke.

"Yes Stacie?" Beca removed the earphone from her ear, where she had been trying to work out a new arrangement for their group.

"Why are we going to Aubrey and Chloe's?"

"I don't really know". Beca shrugged. "But Aubrey said that Chloe needs us-"

"And besides, what bonds a group more than a good old fashioned road trip!" Fat Amy hollered from the front of the bus. "I think we need a sing-along happening. Everybody! Camptown ladies sing this song-"

(To Beca's absolute horror, Stacie, Cynthia Rose and Lily joined in.)

"Doo da, doo da!"

What the hell.

"Camptown racetrack five miles long!" Beca burst out.

(Fat Amy wished that Aubrey Posen had been there to see it.)

"Are we going to need all of this?" Cynthia Rose said, as she and Lily struggled up the stairs, loaded down with all the necessary supplies.

"Hey there Chloe", Beca said carefully, as Aubrey let her in. the redhead was curled up on the couch, buried in a nest of blankets and tissues, red faced and puffy eyed.

"You didn't have to come here", Chloe hiccupped.

"But we did", Stacie said sympathetically, and Cynthia Rose hauled in the grocery bags that they had insisted were necessary.

"What's all that?" Aubrey questioned curiously (because she had instructed Beca and the Bellas to come, not the shelves of their local Target).

"Everything we need", Stacie informed her, plopping down on the couch and stretching out, tapping her nail file.

"What did you do?"

"We made a pit stop", Lily whispered.

"Or three", Fat Amy amended.

"What's all this?" Aubrey pawed through the bags, emptying the items onto the coffee table.

On their pit stops, they had collected several boxes of tissues ("I don't know what kind of state she's in, so we should be prepared"), three bottles of Boone's Farm ("Its tradition!"), a variety of sweet and savoury snacks ("Why are the Cheetos open?" "It was a long drive, we got hungry"), a stack of DVDs ("I didn't know what to bring so Jesse chose them for me, complain to him if they're not up to your standard") and pints of Ben & Jerry's.

"What movies did you bring?" Aubrey asked curiously, reaching for the bag of DVDs. "we might have some of them".

"I don't know, I haven't seen any of them. Jesse got them for me".

"Are you telling me you haven't even seen Mean Girls?" Stacie's eyes grew wide, as she leant towards Aubrey, scanning the DVDs. "are you serious?"

"Dixie Chick serious". Beca nodded, and Aubrey frowned slightly.

(Because apparently, Aubrey was against having the mickey completely taken out of her by her Bellas. By Beca's Bellas.)

"I can't believe you drove all the way out here!" Chloe sniffled suddenly, embracing Beca in a bone crushing hug. Beca let out a squeak, gasping a little.

"Chloe- Chlo! Boob space!"

"Chloe, release", Aubrey said gently, and Chloe let go of the brunette.

"So, what's happening?" Fat Amy questioned, stretching out and digging her hand through the bag of Cheetos.

"Mean Girls", Stacie said immediately, as Lily reached for the popcorn. "What kind of girl are you, Beca? I can't believe you haven't seen Mean Girls!"

And that was exactly how badass Beca Mitchell found herself sitting in Aubrey Posen and Chloe's living room, surrounded by tissues, snacks and her fellow aca-people, trying to bite back her laughter at Lindsay Lohan and Rachael McAdams.

(Jesse was disgusted when he found out that she hadn't seen Mean Girls. Because as far as he was concerned, Mean Girls was part of the high school experience, no matter whom you were. It wasn't as high on his list as The Breakfast Club- which he had packed for them- but it was there. According to him, she was not a teenage girl.)

Digging her spoon through a tub of Chunky Monkey, Beca grinned as Chloe showed the first hint of a smile.

(Beca didn't know how long she had been crying before Aubrey called in reinforcements, but she looked like she hadn't left the couch in days. Several years' worth of tissues littered the room, which made them wonder.)

By the time the pizza and Chinese takeaway Fat Amy had ordered ("When did you even do that? We were all sitting here!") Arrived, they had heard the whole story. Perfect Prince Charming Tom from Barden had, in Aubrey's words, ripped Chloe's heart right out of her chest and stomped on it, essentially breaking the redhead.

And they had sympathised (Stacie preferring to tell stories of her exploits than sympathise, but it was the thought that counted), hugging her and cooing soothing words. To calm the redhead, Aubrey slot The Sound of Music (even though she hated the movie more than anything in the world) into the DVD player.

"Hey Becs, we should do something like this for sectionals", Cynthia Rose chuckled.

(Chloe burst into actual laughter when she saw her little friend's face.)

"You've got to be kidding me", she said faintly.

(It made Chloe laugh, though.)

It was almost as if they had never been apart. While Aubrey still intimidated Fat Amy and Cynthia Rose (Fat Amy still called her 'sir' under her breath), they loved each other's company and relished in the time that they spent together, knowing that it wasn't enough.

"Tell me about Barden", Chloe said, pushing away the cookie dough ice cream, only to have it plucked up by Fat Amy.

"The Treblemaker comes to rehearsals now", Cynthia Rose said casually, and Aubrey sat up like she had been shot out of a cannon.

"WHAT?"

"Cynthia Rose!" Beca scolded.

"You bring Jesse to Bellas rehearsals?"

"Aubrey", Chloe scolded.

"I brought him once!"

"That's not good enough, Beca! Its bad enough you're being penetrated-"

"Still not a good enough reason to use the word penetrate", Fat Amy spoke up, as Beca's face (as Beca's whole body) flushed a deep red and made Lily giggle.

"They are the enemy!"

"Just remember who's running the Bellas, alright? We dropped the oath when we dropped the flight attendant uniforms".

"Thanks for coming here", Chloe mumbled, sounding only blinks away from sleep.

"You're welcome. You needed us", Beca said softly.

Chloe reached over Stacie (who had wedged herself between them, dead asleep), squeezing Beca's hand softly. "Thank you".

Beca was only doing what Chloe would have done it for any one of them.

And Beca was officially That Girl.

(Not that she'd ever tell Jesse, but she didn't mind.)