A/N: Wow, I'm blown away by the response to the last chapter, guys. I think at one point I had about 22 reviews to respond to (those who have reviewed know I reply to every review, no matter how small. I really do appreciate them).

'Ugh, I'm so bored!' Beca exclaims, flopping down face first on Jesse's bed and groaning into his pillow. It smells weird, all spicy deodorant and yet the distinct undertone of sweat. She wrinkles her nose and rolls onto her back instead. 'Jesse, your bed stinks. What the hell do you do to it? No, wait, don't answer that. I think the answer might make me puke.'

'Okay, firstly, sorry if my presence isn't entertaining enough for you,' says Jesse, swivelling around in his chair with his hands on his hips. 'And secondly, no it doesn't. It smells manly.'

'Manly? No wonder it's making my stomach crawl.' Nonetheless, she doesn't bother getting up; she just continues scowling at the ceiling like it's insulted her family. Not that she'd care if it insulted her father or the step-monster, but she supposes she could summon up enough emotion to be annoyed with the ceiling if it said something rude about her mother. Maybe. It's not like her mom has called her much since she started at Barden.

Good God, what is happening to her?

It's been almost a week since Chloe said they should have some "space", and suddenly Beca seems to have an excess of spare time. There are no rehearsals to occupy her (or torment her with Chloe's presence) since Aubrey apparently has a really important assignment due. She did send around a text saying she expected them to carry on without her, but of course that hasn't happened. And trust today to be the first day Luke decided to be "kind" and allow Beca some time off, because she'd been working so hard, so she doesn't even have the station to drown her sorrows in either.

That just leaves Jesse. And he tries, bless him, but he's no Chloe.

'C'mon, Beca, let's watch a movie. It'll make you feel better.'

Point proven.

'No it wouldn't. And Chloe doesn't make me watch movies with her,' Beca grumbles, getting an eye roll in response.

'I thought you told me not to let you mention Chloe again, or I could confiscate your headphones.'

Her eyes widen. Oh shit. That was an agreement she made with him last time she came, after Jesse had gotten fed up with her always bringing her up. 'That one doesn't count,' Beca says quickly. 'I was complaining about you, not talking about her.'

'Uh-huh. Yeah, that's probably the worst excuse I've ever heard. Headphones, please. You can have them back if you manage not to talk about her for the rest of the day.' He snaps his fingers then holds his open palm out to her. Beca glares at him, but removes the headphones from around her neck and hands them over. He stuffs them into one of the drawers in his desk. The space around her neck instantly feels empty. Like her soul, or her heart or some dramatic crap like that. It's poetic. Chloe would appreciate the metaphor - Beca knows she's a huge literature junkie. Or maybe she'd just giggle at her silliness.

'Uh, Beca? You're smiling to yourself again…'

Realising she's been stupidly grinning to herself at the thought of Chloe's laugh, she grabs Jesse's Star Wars pillow (clearly, Benji had been influencing him) and screams into it. 'Jesus Christ, what's wrong with me?! I can't even go five minutes without saying her name or thinking about her.'

Jesse snatches the pillow off her. 'Well, hm, I don't know,' says Jesse, feigning ignorance while repeatedly hitting her in the face with Darth Vader. 'How about this: you're in love with Chloe, maybe?!'

Beca splutters, nearly falling off the bed as the pillow manages to smack her in the mouth. 'No I'm not!'

'Pretty sure you are, little dude.'

'Thanks for the addition of the "little", I really needed that,' she growls. 'Also, how can I be in love with her? We're not even together.'

'Since when is being together a prerequisite for being in love with someone?' When he goes to hit her again, Beca grabs it out of his hands and throws over to Benji's side of the room.

'I dunno. I don't see how you can really feel that strongly for someone who you aren't even dating. How can you fall in love with them when you haven't even gotten to know them yet? That's just a crush, when you're attracted to someone.'

'What if you've known them for years and years and then fall for them?' he asks, looking genuinely curious. 'Is it love then?'

She considers the question. 'Well… maybe, I hadn't thought of it like that. But I haven't known Chloe for years, just months.' Seeing him smirking at her, she asks warily, 'What?'

'You brought up Chloe again. No headphones for you,' he says, waggling his finger in her face.

'Weren't we already talking about her?'

'Not exactly.' Jesse sinks heavily down onto the bed, making the springs protest underneath him. 'Face it, Beca. Chloe's been getting your panties wet for ages now. Isn't it time to drop your defences and let her ride the S.S. Mitchell already?'

Beca's jaw drops at his audacity. 'I can't believe you just said that. You're so fucking crude sometimes,' Beca mumbles, kicking him in the small of his back.

'I'm not the one that just swore, am I? Stop that, your feet are like tiny little thorns digging into my skin,' he says, grabbing her foot.

'You deserved it.'

'For telling the truth?'

'For being a dick.' She escapes his grip and jabs her socked toe into his side, making him flinch and wriggle away.

'I'm serious, though. I wish you'd just get together already. Maybe then I'd get normal you back.'

'Oh yeah? What's normal me like?'

'Less violent, for one,' he says, dodging another of her kicks. 'Also, able to spend time with me without constantly mentioning Chloe.'

Beca's leg stills, his serious tone making her suddenly feel a little guilty. 'Oh. Yeah. Guess I've kind of been in Chloe mode a lot the past few days, haven't I?'

'Try the past few months,' Jesse corrects her. 'Every time you talk to me it's to gush about Chloe, or complain about Chloe, or roll about in frustration on my bed because you can't handle your "feelings". I like being your lesbro, and all, but I'd rather just be your friend.'

Beca sits up slowly, frowning. Her stomach twists at his unhappy expression. She puts a hand out to touch his arm briefly. 'I'm sorry, Jesse. Didn't know you felt that way.'

'I get it, Beca, I do,' he tells her sadly. 'You and she get on and connect in a way I can't even imagine, but … Sometimes I wish you'd want to come see me because you want to see me. Not because Chloe isn't around.'

'I'm sorry,' says Beca, and means it. 'I didn't mean to make you feel like you were second choice.'

Jesse sighs. 'I know I'm second choice. I don't have red hair or stunning blue eyes and a voice like an angel. But you could at least pretend.' His lips twitch ever so slightly, so Beca knows she's on the way to being forgiven.

'We could get you a wig,' Beca jokes. 'Then it'd be one out of three.'

'Are you saying I don't have a voice like an angel?' asks Jesse, pretending to look offended. 'I'll have you know I played an angel in a Christmas production in my elementary school.'

'Oh yeah? And how'd that go?'

'Stunning reviews all round. I blew those parents' minds,' he says, making an explosion gesture near his head.

Beca laughs. 'I bet you did.' She punches him lightly in the shoulder. 'We good, Jesse?'

'Your grammar is atrocious, Beca,' says Jesse, imitating Aubrey's voice and making her snort. 'But yeah. "We good". You loser.'

Jesse had offered to let Beca stay in his room while he did his shift at the station, but Beca had declined. She didn't mind when someone else was with her, but she couldn't help but feel weird all alone with all of Benji's Star Wars merchandise staring at her from the shelves and walls. There's something about a whole row of Yoda figurines all pointing and staring in her direction that kind of makes her shudder.

With nothing else to occupy her time with, she returns home hoping for a nap. But when she rounds the corner to her dorm room and sees Aubrey waiting outside it with her phone out, she knows that's probably not going to happen.

She stops in her tracks and tries to quickly walk back in the direction she came, but unfortunately Aubrey notices her and calls after her.

'Beca. I've been waiting for you.'

Wincing, Beca turns around. 'Hey, Aubrey… Didn't see you there…'

'I'll bet,' Aubrey responds dryly, pocketing her phone. 'I already knocked to see if you were in, but your roommate told me that you were out and there was no way she was letting me in to wait.'

'That's Kimmy Jin, always supportive.' Not bothering with small talk, Beca asks bluntly, 'What do you want, Aubrey?'

Aubrey hesitates, looking down the corridor where people are emerging here and there for lunch. 'Not here. Let's take a walk, shall we?'

'Uh… No, I'd rather stay here, where there are people around,' says Beca warily, stepping back a little, her key clutched between her knuckles in case Aubrey tries to attack.

'For God's sake, Mitchell, I want to talk to you, not kill you. Now come on.' She grabs a protesting Beca's arm and forcibly drags her away, out the doors and into the quad.

'Aubrey, what's this about?' Beca complains, digging her heels into the ground. Even so, Aubrey still has no trouble pulling her along. Jesus, Aubrey must have killer upper body strength. 'I have my Barden rape whistle on me, so don't get any funny ideas.'

'You'll see in a minute.'

'All I wanted was a nap,' Beca grumbles. She's ignored.

Eventually, Beca realises they're making their way to the pool where they held the Riff Off, which somehow looks a lot more foreboding and scary when there's only two girls standing in it, despite the sunlight bearing down on them.

Aubrey comes to a stop and turns to face Beca, who keeps a clear two feet of distance from Aubrey at all times. 'Okay, I think we're alone. No one really comes here during the day.'

'That's really not making me think you're not going to murder me and hide my body in the woods.'

'Oh, shut up already,' Aubrey snaps. 'I don't want people to overhear what I'm going to say, that's all.'

'Which is what?'

'If you could wait one second, you'd know.'

Beca waits a beat. 'I waited a second. I still don't know.'

'Why are you always so obstinate and immature? Close your mouth before I make your worries about murder a reality.' When Beca does, Aubrey gives her a terrifying smile. 'Now was that so hard?'

Beca bares her teeth at her, but keeps quiet for once.

'Anyway. You,' she says, pointing her finger at Beca accusingly, 'need to be careful.'

Beca imagines an invisible tumbleweed passing in the following silence. Since Aubrey hasn't said anything more, she assumes she can ask something. 'Careful doing… what, exactly? Tying my laces? Crossing the road? 'Cause I can assure you, I've been careful doing those things for a while now.'

'I'm talking about Chloe, Beca.'

'Of course you are.' Beca sighs, wondering if she can ever have a conversation that doesn't involve Chloe again. 'Shoot, then. What do I need to be careful about?'

Aubrey's brow puckers into a tiny frown. 'It's come to my attention recently that I may have been slightly… wrong… about something. That is,' she says, taking a fortifying breath, 'Something I told you last time I came to speak to you about Chloe.'

'Wrong?' Beca's ears perk up. This she has to hear. 'What were you wrong about?'

'About the nature of Chloe's intentions for you,' Aubrey says. Her tone is measured, but there's a slight blush in her cheeks. 'Last time, I told you they wouldn't necessarily be the same as a guy's would be. As it happens, I was wrong, since, as we both recently found out, she is bisexual. So you,' again with the finger-pointing, 'need to be careful.'

'Careful?' Beca repeats, slack-jawed. 'Aubrey,' she says slowly, raising an intimidating (or what she hopes is intimidating) eyebrow. 'Are you homophobic or something?'

'How dare you!' Aubrey hisses, affronted, like it's the most heinous thing she's ever been accused of being. Perhaps it is. 'I most certainly am not homophobic!'

'Then why all the pointing and dragging me around and the "you need to be careful"? Why should it bother me? I don't have a problem with it.'

'I'm not talking about it bothering you, you idiot,' Aubrey snarls. 'I'm talking about it bothering Chloe. You must know she likes you. Oh, don't give me that stupid fake surprised face,' she says, rolling her eyes, 'she's already told me about what happened the other day.'

'Oh. Right,' mutters Beca.

'Beca, look,' says Aubrey, her tone suddenly turning sympathetic. Beca gives her a weird look, wondering why the way she's acting towards Beca keeps changing so quickly. 'You have an awful attitude and work ethic, you're stubborn, sarcastic and rude -'

'Is this going anywhere good?'

'- but I know somewhere deep down, as a woman with at least some percentage of decency lurking away in between those ghastly ear spikes of yours, you care for her. And you understand what treacherous ground you're on with her feelings; Chloe can be quite sensitive. I suggest having a proper, honest talk with her to reaffirm that you are straight and therefore can't return her fee –'

'Wait.' Beca lets out a disbelieving laugh, one particular word of Aubrey's speech finally sinking into her brain. 'Wait! Say that again? A straight woman?'

Aubrey blinks at her. 'Yes, I thought –'

'You thought dead wrong!' Beca bursts out laughing, the fact that Aubrey assumed she was straight and needed advice on letting Chloe down easy for some reason really tickling her. Or perhaps she's just delirious from the lack of sleep and food. 'I'm gay, Aubrey babe.'

'Don't call me that,' Aubrey growls automatically, then – 'You're what?!'

'Gay as Melissa Etheridge and Ellen DeGeneres on a girl's night out,' Beca responds, sniggering. She narrows her eyes, trying to suppress a smirk. 'Are you sure you're not homophobic?'

Aubrey actually stamps her foot, furious. 'No, I'm not! And you're not gay!'

Beca considers this for a moment. 'No, I'm pretty sure I am.'

'What about Jesse?!'

'What about him?' asks Beca quizzically.

'You have a toner for him!' she cries.

'… Aubrey, if that were even a thing – which it still isn't, by the way - it definitely wouldn't be for Jesse.'

'But you – I – I thought –' Aubrey has suddenly turned very pale. She sinks against the tiled walls of the pool, putting a hand to her face. 'You're seriously gay?' she asks her. When Beca nods, she groans. 'God, no wonder Chloe is so upset.'

'Why are you so upset?' Beca asks, curious. 'It's not a big deal.'

'It is a big deal!' Aubrey wails. 'I can't believe I was so – heteronormative!'

Beca stares at her. 'Is that a fancy way of saying your gaydar is awful?'

'No, it means - oh, forget it, I have a feeling the finer points of feminism and gender studies would be lost on you,' Aubrey sniffs. Beca may not know what heteronormativity is exactly (even if she can kind of guess) she knows enough to tell when she's just been insulted; she scowls at Aubrey. Aubrey lets out a "hmph" of annoyance, stepping away from the wall. 'Well if you're gay,' she retorts, 'then what's your excuse for not tapping Chloe yet?'

Beca's jaw drops. 'Oh my actual God! Did you seriously just ask me that?! What is wrong with you?!'

'Answer the question!' Aubrey demands. 'Don't you like her? Isn't she pretty enough? You should be falling over yourself to have someone like Chloe!'

'I take back all that stuff about being homophobic… I'm starting to wonder if you guys are secretly together and you are actually just trying to recruit me for a threesome.'

Aubrey scoffs, tossing her hair. 'Sorry, to disappoint, but I like dick.' When Beca chokes, Aubrey bites her lip to suppress a smile. 'I have to say, rendering you speechless is rather entertaining.'

'Who are you and what've you done with the Aubrey I know? The one with the stick up her butt?' Beca splutters.

'My assignment has been kicking my ass and this is the first time I've been out in days,' Aubrey responds. 'I'm not exactly functional right now. The only reason I am awake is due to copious amounts of coffee and Red Bull.'

'And you thought tracking me down to ask me invasive questions about Chloe was the first thing you should do with your free time?' asks Beca sceptically. 'You should've just taken a nap or something. That sounds great, actually - so great in fact, I'm going to go do that now, bye!' Beca tries to run away, but Aubrey grabs her by her collar and she rocks backwards, nearly falling over like a cartoon character. 'Ow, that hurt,' complains Beca, rubbing the spot on her neck where her shirt cut into her neck.

'I'm not done with you. I haven't heard your reason for why you're not with her yet.'

'Don't you hate me?' points out Beca. 'Why are you saying I should get together with Chloe instead of giving me a speech about not being good enough for her?'

Aubrey's eyes widen. 'Oh gosh, you're right. I forgot who I was talking to - you're totally not worthy of Chloe.'

'There we go,' says Beca, sighing.

'But at least you're not a straight bitch messing her around for your own amusement,' Aubrey adds with a placating smile. 'So that's one point up for you. The score is now +1 in favour of you being with Chloe, with about -100 for not being with her. You're on your way!'

'Oh, the veritable joy.' She clasps her hands together and shakes them above her head in mock-celebration. 'See how happy I am about that, Aubrey?' She suddenly stops pretending to celebrate as she realises something. 'Wait. If you know about what happened the other day, then why did Chloe not mention to you that I like girls?'

'I'm guessing that she didn't want to out you without your permission. Although why everyone seems to assume I would react at all negatively is beyond me,' says Aubrey, her lip curling indignantly.

'Beats me…' says Beca, not really paying attention. Truth be told, she's kind of touched that Chloe was thoughtful enough not to tell Aubrey without consulting her, as she might've assumed she would. Maybe she hasn't totally forgotten about Beca.

'She misses you, you know,' comments Aubrey, drawing Beca's attention again. 'I'm not sure why, either, but she won't stop talking my ear off about you.'

Beca's heart lifts a little at this revelation. 'Really?'

'Yes, unfortunately for me. I kept telling her to give it up because you were obviously straight, but…'

'You were wrong,' Beca finishes with a little too much satisfaction, receiving a glower from Aubrey for her cheek.

'Right. So… now what?'

'Huh?'

'Are you going to ask her out?' says Aubrey, tilting her head. 'Not that I approve, but she told me you wouldn't give her a direct answer. I originally assumed that was because you aren't interested but now I'm thinking you're just being your annoyingly stubborn self.'

'I don't know, probably not,' says Beca, ducking her head away and picking a strip away from the nail polish on her left hand. How does she always get caught up in this same pattern of conversation? Can't people just leave her to it?

'Well, you'd better work it out soon before she finds someone else.'

'Gee, thanks,' Beca mutters. 'That fills me with confidence.'

Aubrey rolls her eyes. 'Wow. You're incredibly frustrating, did you know that? You're like a little turtle that retreats into their shell every time someone comes near, even if they're handing them a piece of lettuce.'

'Thanks for unnecessarily adding on the word "little", totally appreciate it. You and Jesse should chat some time. Also, that was a terrible simile.'

'Sarcasm,' Aubrey notes. 'Classic avoidance tactic. If I were taking Psychology I'd totally use you as a case study of severe emotional stunted...ness.'

'Is that your official diagnosis, Dr Posen?' Beca says, intentionally laying the sarcasm on thick.

'Be honest with yourself, for once in your life,' Aubrey persists. 'Forget all these little issues like not ever being good enough for Chloe -' (same old Aubrey) 'and concentrate on your feelings. If you have any, that is.'

'Please never become an official therapist.'

Aubrey puts up her hand to deflect further comments. 'Just answer this question. If you knew it would work out, would you want to be with her?'

Beca chews her lip, turning the question over in her mind. Of course, she already knew the answer – she knew it quite a while ago, even without Aubrey's hypothetical questions. But it's not the knowing that's the problem. It's the doing, and the admitting.

But Aubrey's looking at her with one expectant eyebrow raised, her fingers drumming impatiently on her arm. She's not going to back down like Chloe did. In fact, she'll probably push her even more.

'If you're worried about losing her or hurting her, you're already doing it,' Aubrey points out, correctly guessing the source of some of Beca's anxiety, and not exactly alleviating it. 'And if you're worried about getting hurt yourself, you're doing a fine job of that on your own. Look at you, you're a mess.'

Beca sighs inwardly. She's right. She's always right. Except when it comes to someone's sexuality.

'Did Chloe ask you to come interrogate me?' she shoots back, trying for time again.

'No. And you won't distract me that easily, Beca. I'll ask you one more time. If you knew it would work out... would you want to be with her?'

Beca searches around her desperately for something to say that will get her out of this situation, but there is nothing. Just her and her feelings, which she knows about, goddamnit - the problem is putting them into words. It's not like mixing, where she can match two songs together and create the perfect mashup on instinct. It's not like mu -

Can you draw it? Sing it?

'sic,' Beca finishes out loud, unaware of the disturbed look Aubrey is giving her right now.

'Pardon?'

'Music,' Beca repeats, like Aubrey understands what she's talking about. Her frown turns deeper and she takes a step back as though worried she's cracked. 'I can't say it, but maybe I can sing it.'

'You mean serenading Chloe? This isn't Glee, Beca...'

'No, no, not like a serenade. I mean - to explain to you, what I'm feeling.'

Aubrey's face clears as she realises what Beca's getting at. 'Aha. And what did you have in mind?'

... Oh yeah. Beca has no idea what to sing. Unfortunately there's only one song stuck in her head right now - from the millions of times they've sung it in rehearsal - and it's the only one that seems even vaguely appropriate. Except it's not appropriate, it's fucking humiliating, and oh, God, she never should've brought this up.

'Forget it,' Beca says hurriedly, trying to back away, but Aubrey grabs her arm with a displeased look.

'Just sing it already, or I might be forced to make good on the threat I made earlier.'

'You wouldn't dare.'

'Try me, Mitchell.'

She decides it's best not to push her anymore. Beca clears her throat. Blushing furiously, she starts to sing under her breath.

'Louder, I can't hear you.'

Beca sings louder, shutting her eyes so she doesn't have to look at Aubrey's smirking face.

'Say my name, sun shines through the rain... A whole life, so lonely, and then you come and ease the pain. I don't want to lose this feeling... Is this burning, an...'

Beca trails off, burying her face in her hands. There's a long silence that follows her singing. Beca is now convinced the only eternal flame is burning in her cheeks.

Aubrey swallows. She's obviously trying her best not to laugh, pressing her lips together so hard they're turning a slightly pale colour, her body shaking slightly. 'Erm... Okay... A lovely choice, Beca... Very good.'

'It was the only thing I could think of, you forced me!' Beca moans. 'Oh my God, you should just kill me now.'

'No no no, it was truly lovely.' Aubrey's muffling her laughter into her fist, rather unsuccesfully. 'Maybe we should record it and send it to Chloe.'

'Don't you dare!' Beca screeches, making Aubrey finally lose control and burst out laughing. Beca just regards her sulkily as she laughs for what feels like a very, very long time. When she's done, she's wheezing and using the wall to hold herself up.

'My God,' says Aubrey, wiping her eyes. 'Thanks, Beca. I needed that.'

'Whatever,' Beca growls. 'It was the only way I could say anything. You're lucky I didn't end up singing the Thong Song or something.'

'Now that would be a sight to see.' Aubrey pats her on the shoulder, giving her a genuine smile with only a touch of mocking in it. 'Good job. You've taken your first step into adulthood by dealing with your emotions the way all well functioning people do. Through ballads.'

'I'd like to thank the academy, and my pseudo-therapist, Aubrey Posen…'

A/N: Back to our regularly scheduled aca-drama next chapter. BECA'S GROWING UP! ... Kind of. I'm sure this wasn't quite what you thought would happen last chapter.

I actually cut yet another scene with Benji in it. Poor Benji.