A/N:Hi guys, a quick chapter update because this one's been niggling at me today. Just a word of warning if you're following, I'm on a pretty intensive college course, trying to get ready to apply for a medical degree so...updates might occasionally be sporadic, I don't know yet. But I have every intention of finishing the fic, I've got some later chapters drafted out and the thing as a whole in notes, so I know where it's going, no worries about that. I guess what I mean is, it's going to require a little bit of patience at times, sorry! Hope this one's okay.

A round of applause met Beca as she strode back into the office a week later, causing her to flush bright red and try to hide behind a curtain of hair, while muttering "You guys! Geez..." She scurried to her desk and plopped her satchel and laptop bag down next to a big bunch of flowers sitting in a vase, with a foil balloon tied to it and a 'Get Well' card sitting close by. Sighing loudly she called to the office at large "Really? I didn't die you know. Don't you think this is a bit much?"

There were some scattered chuckles and an anonymous voice called out "Love you boss!" She cringed harder and covered her face with her hands. Jerry. Jerry was going to die. So hard. So much dying and as soon as physically possible. She felt an arm hang across her shoulders and the object of her decidedly murderous thoughts grinned into her death glare.

"Good to see you back where you belong Becs."

"Was this you?" She demanded, waving a hand at the flowers, card and gently-twirling balloon. His grin widened and he shrugged, clearly pleased with himself.

"Some of it was. Everyone pitched in and wanted to do something for you, they missed you. For some reason..." He added, teasing her. She prodded him harshly in the ribs, causing him to flinch and squeak simultaneously. Okay, that made her feel a little bit better.

"One day, I will end you Jerry. And not in a nice way, in a very painful and awful and...disgusting way. A way that will make seasoned CSI officers vomit and quit on the spot. They might not even be able to find every piece of you as they try and stitch you back together. You won't need a coffin, they'll just bury you in a matchbox."

Jerry had started to laugh hard at Beca's reaction, causing her scowl to darken further. He'd known it would be risky to try and welcome her back to work or allow anyone to express affection or concern for her well-being. But it was true that her co-workers had all missed her and had genuinely been worried about her. He'd at least said he'd take the blame for the gifts, and let them off. The card was a different matter but as they'd all signed it anyway, what was she going to do? Go on a killing spree until the entire office was cleared? Looking at the thunder in her eyes currently, it occurred to him that it was a very real possibility at this point. He stifled his guffaws into coughs and then cleared his throat.

"Aw Beca come on. We really did miss you, everyone was worried about how ill you've been and...hell they really like you. Don't be scared!" He smirked at her. "I know it's weird and inexplicable, but these people like you a lot. So just accept the love, yeah?" He threw her a wink and her face softened just enough for her to give a trademark eye roll. "That's our Beca." He grinned and punched her shoulder gently. She pointed threateningly right in his face, her finger jabbing the end of his nose briefly for effect.

"You get one. This is one. Yes?" She raised her eyebrows at him in warning and he laughed at her, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Sure thing boss, note taken." She nodded once, sharply and straightened her blazer while drawing in a breath.

"Right. Fine. Good. Okay then." She looked again at the gifts on her desk and, despite her threats to Jerry, she felt warm on the inside. It wasn't easy for her to accept that people had any opinion of her at all, and if they did she was sure it would be a bad one. She'd always felt awkward about affection, or being close to people unnecessarily (as she put it) but it didn't mean she didn't like it deep down – who wouldn't? It was more that she felt awkward about anyone taking time out of their day for her, when they could probably be doing something better. She picked up the card and read some of the messages inside, which of course were heartfelt and pleasant. She breathed out another sigh, more quietly as she put it back on her desk. "Thanks Jerry. I didn't really mean to blow up at you. I...uh I mean...it's nice." She indicated her desk again. "It was just a surprise. But...yeah thanks." She wasn't able to make eye contact and managed to settle her gaze on about fifteen different points of the room while she addressed him, but he smiled nonetheless.

"I know. Sorry for surprising you, but I thought maybe you'd never come back to work if you knew what we'd done. And you're welcome." He patted her on the back and then clapped his hands together once. "Right. No more mushy stuff, we've got work to do."

Beca nodded in agreement, her face brightening at the prospect of being back in the studio after such a tedious time at home. Her fingers itched to be back at the controls, doing her favourite thing in the world, and she turned to hurry to the recording and editing booths.

"And you've got a date to pick up as well of course."

She stopped and turned on her heel slowly. His face was a well-practised picture of innocence that she knew all too well. "What have you done?" She hissed at him. He just shrugged in response and stuck his hands in his pockets, whistling a little tune as he sauntered in the direction of the booths. She shot after him and he broke into a sprint while laughing. "JEREMY JONES YOU TELL ME RIGHT NOW!" she screeched as she chased him into the sound booths. The staff in the main office all looked up at the ruckus and a few laughs broke out. It was certainly good to have those two back working together, they'd missed the entertainment value of the producing partners and Jerry had basically been moping around the place while Beca had been away.

Beca cornered Jerry against the mixing desk and growled at him. "Spill. Now."

"I don't know what you mean."

"What. Did. You. Do?!"

Jerry laughed, causing Beca to throw the nearest empty coffee mug at his head. By some good grace he caught it just before it connected with his forehead and he breathed out slowly in relief. Then he stared at her in disbelief. "You threw a mug at me!"

"I'll throw worse than that in a minute, tell me what you've been plotting you complete turd!" She began to prowl towards him, another mug ready in one hand.

He shook his head and, hoping to calm her, replied "Becs I was just teasing."

She stopped in her tracks, nonplussed. "...What?"

"Honestly, I haven't done anything. Ask anyone, I'm just messing with you." Beca huffed in relief but kept her sharp eyes on her partner. He threw caution to the winds. "But I think you're missing a hell of a boat there if you don't give it a go Becs. Really."

"What does that mean?"

"Well apart from the fact that our Sabine is drop-dead gorgeous, I think she might be a little bit into you."

Beca scoffed disbelievingly. "Uh huh. And how is that even possible? We've never met, she doesn't know who I am. You're totally just making things up in your head, as usual."

He tutted at her. "Is it so hard to imagine? Yeah you guys haven't met, I know that. But from what she says you've been talking...a lot?" He raised his eyebrows at the brunette and gave her a knowing smirk. Her cheeks began to flush again and she inwardly cursed the one involuntary quirk that she'd never managed to get a hold over.

"So? There's been a lot to discuss about the album-"

"Yeah and everything else as well by the sounds of it."

"Have you two just been spending the last week continuously talking behind my back?"

"Oh my god, chill out, no! Bec, I took her out for coffee on lunch breaks while you've been MIA, tried to make her feel more comfortable, you know?" Beca gave him a suspicious glare and folded her arms, beginning to tap one foot dangerously on the carpeted floor. "Not like that. Although that is how I found out she's not a boyfriend sort of a person..." He trailed off. He noticed Beca scrutinising him and shook his head. "Did not make a pass, I solemnly promise! We've just been chatting. She's been asking about you quite a bit." His eyes glinted in amusement. "And when I called her out on it, she didn't exactly deny it either." If murder could happen via telekinesis, he would be stone-cold out right now. He was either very brave or very stupid, but he carried on regardless. "Is there any harm in trying?"

"Oh I dunno...maybe just the risk of losing my job Jer." Shot Beca sarcastically.

"When has a producer ever been fired for that? Half of them have fucked three out of every five clients, hell every single one of Chad's wives has been a client. Honestly you're lucky Sabine's a lesbian because I'm sure he'd have her lined up as number six."

"Ugh we are NOT having this conversation right now Jerry!" Beca covered her eyes with one hand and perched the other on her hip.

"Just don't rule it out Becs? You deserve some enjoyment in life you know. It can't be all work, you have to play too sometimes." She uncovered her eyes in enough time to see him wiggle his tongue suggestively and a swift war waged inside her between punching his stupid face or laughing...luckily for Jerry's nose laughter won at last and she actually started to crack up.

"Oh my god Jerry, you...you are just...ugh I don't even know. Maybe the word hasn't been invented yet."

He knew then that he was off the hook and relaxed. Beca was chuckling and had her hands pressed to her flaming cheeks to try and cool them down a bit before getting on with the day's recording session. It was good to see her face relaxed and her having fun. Which of course had been exactly what he'd meant about easing up a bit. He hoped fervently that she might allow herself to relax and take a risk in her love life and not just her career.

Beca shimmied her blazer off and threw it over the back of the main chair, claiming it as her throne for the day, then turned away from the main desk to organise some of the equipment lining the back wall of the booth. Jerry took the hint and began to set up for the session. He made his way into the sound room and adjusted the microphones around the baby grand piano sitting in the centre, cleared away yesterday's coffee cups and picked up some loose sheet music from the floor. Beca heard the door to the sound room open again and a second person enter, but she didn't pay much attention as she was still setting up everything they'd need in the booth for the day. There was the indistinct sound of soft voices and after a few minutes Jerry returned.

"Ready?" He asked Beca. She plugged in the last couple of cables and turned, nodding.

"You have no idea." She was grinning.

"Glad to be back?"

"Dude like you wouldn't even believe." She muttered. She sank into her chair and he did the same. Through the window separating the two rooms Beca could see a woman seated at the piano, her back to them. So...this was Sabine in the flesh. The hair on Beca's arms began to tingle and stand on end as excitement flooded through her. Today she'd be able to put a face to the woman she'd begun to explore through written conversation only. She tried to cage the butterflies jumping around her insides, and wondered if maybe Jerry was right. Maybe she should take a chance on this...'total stranger', her brain supplied, unhelpfully. She took a lingering look at the slender blonde poised at the piano. Her hair was loose and fell in soft waves over her shoulders and down her back. She wore casual clothes in muted colours, mostly varying shades of blue, but still managed an air of elegance. Possibly it was just something natural that she exuded, pondered Beca, as she considered the straightened posture and long pale arms, with delicate wrists and well-trained pianist's hands resting ready on the keys.

"Beca?"

"Mm?" She snapped back suddenly and looked over at Jerry, who was grinning at her. He snorted once "Ha! And that's just the back of her."

"I wasn't...I mean...Hm? What?" He raised an eyebrow in her direction.

"I said we're ready when you are?"

"Right. Sure. I was just...um you know, sorting out everything we need to do. In my head. As you do, you know, mental checklist. Lists, in the head. Lots to do." She nodded to make her point clear and then wondered what the hell was wrong with her. She pulled her shoulders back and took a deep breath. "Right, let's get to it then." Sabine had put her headphones on, ready to hear her instructions from the booth so Beca punched the button to talk through and requested the track they'd been talking about incessantly. "Okay, are we ready to take a pass at track six today?" She saw the blonde's head quirk slightly as she listened and she caught a glimpse of her profile – well-defined cheekbones and a nose that tipped up at the end in a very...adorable way. The slight head-turn was brief and gone before Beca could really get anything more than a fleeting look at the other woman and her head was nodding.

"Indeed." She confirmed in a rich, deep voice that was tinged with a soft accent. It pulled at something in Beca's memory and she froze as she tried to place it. She reasoned it would be from hearing Sabine's singing so much as she listened over the edits of the album and shook off the strange feeling in her gut. "And...how nice to have you here in person at last...Beca." Shivers tremored down her spine as she heard her name uttered in that delicious voice. She felt her face heat up again and she cleared her throat a couple of times before talking back. Jerry was smirking to himself, she could feel it without even looking at him.

"Ahh...yes thank you. It's nice to confirm you're a real person Ms...um Sabine. Shall we?" Her voice had risen an octave and betrayed her at the last minute. She groaned quietly to herself, muted the comm and muttered to Jerry "Okay, I'll admit her voice does things to me."

"Nice things?" He grinned.

"Jerry!"

"Well you're the one who mentioned it first-"

"Are you ready for me to start?" Came Sabine's honeyed voice. Beca sent a warning glare at Jerry and replied.

"Yes of course. Whenever you want to start, go ahead."

Two hours into recording and Beca's sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, her hair had been tousled into a chestnut mess and her hands were splayed over her cheeks as she leaned her chin into them, frustration painted in every line of her body. She spoke through to Sabine.

"Hey Sabine? Why don't you take a quick break. We've been going at this pretty solidly for a while now, I think we could all use a rest, stretch our legs, you know? Why don't you come back in 15, we'll carry on. How does that sound?" She saw the blonde head nod and Sabine slipped the headphones off. Beca covered her face with her hands in a gesture of tiredness before Sabine had even risen from her stool. A muffled moan sounded from the region of her palms. "What am I doing Jerry?"

"Making music?"

"That's just it, I'm not though! Why can't we get this right? How does it not work? Every time we try to fix the little bits that are off, it creates bigger problems!" She groaned in despair. "Maybe I should've left it alone. Maybe I should've just quit while I had the chance." She pushed her hands up to her scalp instead and stared at the floor in the midst of her mini existential crisis. "Maybe I should've just left it with Chad's idiot offspring..."

Jerry pulled her studio chair around and pulled her hands away from her head fiercely. "Hey! We're not having that sort of talk in here. I'm not going to listen to that! You know what you're doing, you're an amazing music producer and you will sort this. Some tracks are just harder than others, you know that from experience and this is no different. Just think about it for a minute...what can we do to get around this? Why isn't it working?"

Beca chewed her lip and thought hard. Her mouth twisted to one side and she blew noisily through her nose. "Well...I suppose maybe it would help to know a bit more about the song? Or where it's come from?" She looked uncertainly at Jerry, and he nodded encouragingly.

"Okay, that's a good idea. Shall we do that?"

Beca considered for another long moment and then confirmed it with a final nod. "Yeah. Yeah we'll do that. Once Sabine's back I'll have a chat with her about the track and what's behind it. I think that's the bit I'm missing maybe? I hope it'll do something at least."

Jerry smiled at her gently. "Try it, at least. It might help, it might not. Either way it's a step forward hm?" Beca just nodded in response, then hung her head to stare at her knees. "Come on Bec." He rubbed her back soothingly. "You're gonna nail this I promise. And then you'll nail Sab-" He didn't manage to finish his sentence as Beca stamped suddenly on his foot to shut him up.

As he was hopping around the booth cursing and Beca laughing at last, they heard the door to the recording room shut and Sabine was swiftly taking her place back at the piano. They glanced at each other and Jerry inclined his head towards the other room, meaning 'go on then, go talk' and she winced slightly at the prospect of the meeting she was about to have.

She was also inexplicably nervous – all this time she'd only seen the woman's back and the odd glimpse of her profile. She'd still not properly come face-to-face with her and for some reason it was holding her back. She rose slowly from her seat and paused at the door to look at Jerry. "Do you want to-?"

He sighed loudly in exasperation and opened the door then pushed her through it. "Just suck it up and go Beca!"

"Alright, alright!" She hissed at him. The door to the editing room close softly behind her and she squared her shoulders, took a deep breath and pushed her way into the recording room instead. Sabine looked up from her sheet music in surprise at suddenly having company.

"Hey Sabine, I-" Beca's body turned to stone as her eyes locked onto Sabine's piercing blue ones, electricity crackling through her chest where her heart threatened to either beat right through her ribs or stop entirely, she couldn't be sure which. There was a long, heavy pause as the other woman stared at her in much the same way; soft, full lips parted in shock, she sat rooted to the stool. She was, however, the first to break the ominous silence. She muttered something indecipherable in her native language, which Beca now knew to be German.

Because sitting in front of her, recording her first solo album with Beca Mitchell as her producer was…

"...Kommissar?" She choked out.

Then she turned and practically ran from the studio.