A/N: Man, making time for this writing thing is difficult. I'm sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter out there. When I originally started writing this story again, I wanted to completely finish it before posting anything. Instead, I settled for being one chapter ahead... but I hate to make you guys wait even longer for content just because I'm still working on chapter 29... So here it is. Hopefully more soon. Your support and words of encouragement mean the world to me.

The next day at Residual Heat, Beca was distracted. Who could blame her? She kept having flashes of the night she spent with Aubrey and Chloe. The way they looked, smelled, god, sounded together, the thoughts couldn't be controlled. But it was mostly the memory of how she felt when she was with them that was plaguing her. Beca couldn't remember a time when she had ever felt happier - maybe the first time the Bellas had won the ICCAs. But no, this joy was somehow centered more in her body. She felt it on her skin, and in her stomach, in the airy free feeling of her chest, and the looseness of her joints.

In a way, Beca had felt more comfortable with herself that night than she ever had before. And it was strange - so fucking strange - because shouldn't she have felt unsure? Confused? Scared even? But she hadn't. A little hesitant sure, but not for long. Her inhibitions had fallen away like never before, and she had felt calm and warm and whole and happy.

Beca Mitchell wanted that feeling back, and she wanted it to last forever. Having just one small dose of it wasn't enough. She needed more.

It wasn't until Beca got home later that day that she finally worked up the courage to text Aubrey and Chloe. She took a deep breath to center herself as she opened a group text window.

Hey. When can we get together again? I'm free this weekend…

This weekend? Chloe's response was almost instantaneous and Beca was crafting her reply when a text from Aubrey came in a few moments later.

I'd like to see you sooner than that, if possible.

Again, Chloe was quick to reply. Yeah, like yesterday… ;)

Beca's heart thumped so loudly in her chest that she could feel it in her extremities. She was so flattered by Chloe and Aubrey's fierce interest in her. While this was a new feeling for Beca, she recognized that this was likely a long standing truth for her former captains. It made her feel wanted. It made her feel special, but though the feeling was a good one, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed by it. And that shame made her struggle to find the right words to respond.

She decided to remain practical. Aubrey and Chloe may have found it easy to express their feelings, but Beca was still Beca after all. I get off early on Wednesdays…

Beca regretted her choice of words almost immediately, and of course Chloe took advantage of the innuendo. Do you now? ;)

Beca's face flushed as a second text came in from Chloe. I think we can make that happen ;)

Internally, Beca scolded herself for making it that easy. And yet, she recognized the thrill of it. Her heart was racing. She couldn't deny that her subconscious may have been asking for it.

Wednesday it is :) Aubrey replied matter of factly. Beca appreciated the no-nonsense approach. She smiled down at her phone, happy that she'd soon have another date with these two remarkable women.

On Tuesday, reality began to set in for Beca. She began to acknowledge the fact that the happy, comfortable feeling she felt while with Chloe and Aubrey really meant something. It had implications, and those implications were terrifying, if Beca was being honest. She no longer felt the same blind excitement for their upcoming date. She was still looking forward to it, but the few days she spent apart from them had gifted her a level headedness that had been completely lost on Saturday night.

Beca wasn't sure exactly what, but she needed something more out of their date the next day. She needed a plan; she needed facts; she needed more clarity; she needed to know what this thing was going to look like so she could decide for herself if it was something she wanted to pursue or not.

Beca wanted to continue the conversation they had begun on their first date. She wanted Aubrey and Chloe's cards on the table. The problem was that she knew she'd have to offer her own first. She remembered Stacie's words and tried her best to figure out what exactly it was that she wanted to do, or wanted to say to Chloe and Aubrey, but it was a lot more difficult than Stacie made it sound. Beca hadn't spent much time in her life interrogating her own needs and desires. If she had, it wouldn't have come as such a shock to her that she was attracted to two friends of hers who, at this point, she'd known for four years. There was something kind of pathetic about that, that she hadn't realized this sooner. And yet, it's not like Chloe or Aubrey had brought it up any sooner either. Perhaps they were all idiots. Or perhaps this was something that developed over time. Or, Beca also considered, perhaps this was something fleeting. This thing might not be little more than an experiment, and not just for Aubrey and Chloe, but for Beca too.

And maybe that thought should have been scary - an acknowledgement of the rejection that could be coming - but it was actually sort of a freeing thought to Beca. She didn't have to figure out what she wanted from this a year from now. All she had to know was what she wanted right now. And what she wanted right now was to see Aubrey and Chloe again - and tomorrow, that wish would be granted.

No one had ever cooked Beca Mitchell dinner before. Even growing up, the Mitchell family had survived mostly on take-out. As silly as it was, when Beca had received the text from Chloe that morning asking what time Beca thought she'd get to their apartment so she could figure out when to start cooking, Beca was flattered. It made her feel special, like Chloe and Aubrey wanted to show her how much they cared for her. Beca had always thought there was something vulnerable in allowing someone to take care of you and so it was the kind of thing she had always rejected outright as stupid, and even patronizing. But this particular offer made her body feel warm. It forced her to recognize the tender kindness that came with cooking someone a meal. The fact that Chloe was an incredible cook was really just a bonus.

Time had moved so quickly from the moment Beca had arrived at their apartment. They had already finished dinner though were still seated at the table, sipping wine and continuing to chat about a million silly, unimportant things. So, as Chloe finished refilling Beca's glass, she finally brought up the conversation she thought they needed to have.

"So, can we, like… talk about this?" Beca swirled the wine before taking a sip, and as she did she noted the distinctive spin in her head, not unlike the one in her glass. She set the glass down on the table. Perhaps she shouldn't have any more wine.

"Talk about what?" Chloe asked in that innocent voice of hers, the one Beca had learned to see right through long ago. Beca gave a knowing tilt of her head, and looked sternly at Chloe.

"Of course we can," Beca's eyes instinctively flicked to Aubrey's. She watched as the blonde woman swallowed the last bit of her wine before delicately placing her glass on the table. "What is it you want to talk about, Beca?"

And there it was again, the zing right to her core at the sound of her name coming from Aubrey's mouth. Beca swore she'd one day be immune to its effects, but today was not that day.

"I just… Saturday…" but Beca failed to finish her thought, or even start it. Her body felt warm from the wine, and her head dizzy. She wanted to be articulate, but arousal was slowly overtaking her as she stared at Aubrey's glossed lips.

"What about Saturday?" Aubrey's tone was unaffected. She was her usual, straight forward self. Not one hint of tipsy, despite the three glasses of wine Beca had watched her consume. Aubrey was as put together as ever, and Beca couldn't help but envy her poise and her confidence. She'd never admit it, but there was a thing or two Beca could stand to learn from Aubrey Posen.

"I, uh… it felt…" stammered Beca. She could feel her face flushing, embarrassed by her inability to speak. This was the part she was dreading, the part where she had to offer some of her own truth so she could in turn hopefully hear Aubrey's and Chloe's. It was a vulnerable move to make, and Beca hated it. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, reclaiming her grasp on reality. When she opened her eyes and spoke again, her words were crystal clear. Beca spoke with a deliberate confidence that would make Aubrey proud. "It felt really good to be with you guys - and not just in the obvious way. It feels good to be here with you right now. And I don't know what this is - or will be - but I want more of this feeling." Beca paused momentarily. She looked at Aubrey, and then at Chloe. They were both so intently focused on her. Beca saw a smile slowly creeping across Chloe's face and she could feel the tug in her own chest. She looked down at the table for a brief second, beginning to feel self-conscious. "It's just… intoxicating," breathed Beca, before flicking her eyes back to Aubrey's once more.

There was a moment of silence where no one spoke, or moved, or even seemed to breathe. "Wow," said Chloe, seeming genuinely affected by Beca's words. Aubrey reached across the table and took Beca's left hand before offering her other hand to Chloe.

"I feel the same," Aubrey stated. It wasn't sentimental, just simply a statement of fact, but the shine in Aubrey's eyes told Beca how much it meant to her.

"Me too." Beca turned her head at the sound of Chloe's voice, heavy with emotion, opposite to Aubrey's in every way. Chloe's free hand was pressed against her chest as she nodded.

A smile began to form on Beca's face as her chest warmed, but ever the emotionally inept imbecile, she quickly shook it off. "Alright, alright," she countered, pulling her hand out of Aubrey's grasp. "This doesn't have to be, like, a whole thing." She paused, and when she spoke again her words were thoughtful and sincere. "I just needed to know where we were all at. I'm trying to accept that it's okay to not know exactly where this is going - or what the fuck is even happening at all." Beca sighed. "This isn't easy for me."

Beca watched as Aubrey nodded. It was empathetic, an acknowledgement of Beca's plight, but Beca noticed something else in her eyes, and in her soft smile. There was a crack in the armor, and Beca could see that Aubrey was feeling exactly the same way. She saw a hint of truth in that moment, that Aubrey wasn't the manipulative mastermind that Beca once feared she was. No, she was a woman just as conflicted about this whole thing, who was trying to make sense of her own thoughts, feelings, and desires. Aubrey's exuberant confidence was, at least in this instance, nothing more than a facade.

And as Chloe began to speak, Beca realized what else she and Aubrey had in common: an incredibly self-aware, honest, loving, and kind friend who was exhaustive in her own personal quest for happiness and fulfilment, and who wanted nothing more than for the people she cared for to come to terms with exactly who they were and what they wanted. "But it's easy being together… isn't it?" asked Chloe. "I mean, isn't that all that really matters? How we feel when we're together?"

Aubrey and Beca were both left speechless by the question. Beca knew that Chloe was right, but the concept was so foreign to her that her brain could barely process it. Overthinking things was the only mode of operation Beca had ever known. She didn't know how to be present, to just enjoy the moment and not think about what might come next.

"I know you're right, Chlo," Aubrey answered. "But I understand Beca's need to know what this means for all of us, or what the future might look like." Aubrey looked toward Beca. "Listen, I get that it's not easy. None of this has been easy - for any of us. It's like we've asked you to sign up for something that we don't even know what is. I know exactly what you're feeling right now. I promise. But what we're asking you - hell, what I'm asking myself - is just to trust us. To trust this," Aubrey gestured to the space between the three of them. "You said it yourself. This," she emphasized, repeating the gesture, "feels good. So let's continue to be open and honest, and let's just see where this goes."

The speech was eloquent, and Beca couldn't argue with it. What Aubrey said was totally reasonable. It made sense, and knowing that Aubrey was also struggling came as quite a relief. It leveled the playing field between them. Long gone were the feelings of resentment Beca had over being manipulated by Chloe and Aubrey. She no longer felt like a pawn in their game. She was an equal partner in the future they'd build together.

"Yeah," Beca said. "I can do that."

"Great," Chloe said after a moment of silence. She grinned. "So… who wants dessert?"