The next several days the girls spent their days wandering New York while their evenings were spent going to fancy dinners and shows. Rae had done so much shopping that she had to buy another suitcase just so she would be able to get everything home. It was really quite ridiculous, at fifteen she was suffering from a serious addiction that their parents were enabling. Rae seriously needed to be put on a budget and Beca planned on saying something to her parents when they got home. Rae swiped her American Express card so many times that Beca thought the card should either have racing stripes or burst into flames.

After leaving Bloomingdale's, they ended their day of torture, as Beca had called it, with dinner at Serendipity. The host seated them promptly and Beca placed her napkin in her lap. When she picked up the menu her eyes immediately lit up. She was so tired of all the uppity food Rae had been making her eat over the last few days that she decided she was going to eat some pure unadulterated yumminess.

"Hi, I'm Scott and I'll be your waiter this evening. Are you ladies ready to place your order?"

"Yes, we are." Rae said placing her menu on the table. "I'd like the Serendib salad and the Chicken Not So Little soup."

"And to drink?" Scott asked.

"A pot of Earl Grey tea." Scott wrote down her order while rolling his eyes. "Could this girl get any more boring?" he thought. "And for you ma'am?" He asked turning toward Beca.

"I'll have the bacon cheddar burger, cooked medium, hold the cole slaw and double the fries." Rae looked at her mortified.

"And to drink?"

"The largest sweet tea you can find please."

"Ok ladies, if that does it, I'll go put your orders in and be right back with your tea."

Beca stuck her finger up and said, "I'm not finished."

"Oh, my apologies. What else can I get for you?"

Beca grinned, "It's quite alright. For dessert I'll have a Peanut Butter Frozen Hot Chocolate and the Forbidden Broadway Sundae."

"Excellent choice." the waiter smiled. "Will that complete your order?"

"I think that does it." Beca told him.

After the waiter left, Rae said, "Beca, if you continue to eat that way you'll be as big as a house."

"I don't recall asking for your opinion. You can sit there and eat your dainty salad and your cup-o-soup and drink your rather pretentious pot of tea, but I'm going to enjoy every last bite of everything I ordered."

"Are you seriously going to eat all of that?"

"Yes and I'm going to have a total foodgasm while I do. If you're too embarrassed to sit with me, you're more than welcome to leave, but I'm staying right here." Beca said with a huge smile.

Rae made a face. "You're going to get fat."

"It's going to take more than one greasy cheese burger and some fries to get me fat but if I do get fat at least I'll die gloriously happy and with a full belly rather than being skinny, bitchy and hungry like you!"

Rae had no retort. She couldn't argue with Beca. Beca was probably the most physically fit person she knew; there wasn't an ounce of fat on her body. She was so dedicated to her workouts that she had been going to the hotel gym at least once a day. It was during that time that Rae would do something ridiculously girly, like taking a long soak in the tub or putting some kind of green scary goop on her face. Beca walked in after a workout to find Rae in a hotel robe laying on the couch, her hair in a towel, green goop on her face and cucumbers on her eyes. It was frightening sight but it didn't stop Beca from sneaking up on her and eating the cucumber slices off of Rae's eyes. Rae had been pissed.

"Hmm..not bad, but it could definitely use some ranch dip though."

"BECA! Those were there for a reason! You weren't supposed to eat them!" Rae brayed like a scalded donkey.

"Pull your pretty pink panties out of your hunter! It's just cucumber."

"I don't have a 'hunter' and that wasn't 'just cucumber' it's there to keep me from getting bags under my eyes!"

"Oh well if that's the case then think of it this way, you'll have bags to put all of your pretty new things in when you go on your next shopping spree." Beca spouted sarcastically.

"UGH! You're impossible!" Rae said as she stormed off toward her room.

"I smile because you're my sister. I laugh because there isn't a damn thing you can do about it." Beca called over her shoulder as she went into her bedroom. She knew full well that she had successfully gotten under Rae's skin and she loved every last second of it.

Beca looked forward to the day they went to see the Statue of Liberty. Their Dad purchased Crown tickets for them, which meant that they were able to tour everything from the grounds around the statue all the way up to the crown. The night before their tour Beca asked Rae if she had flat shoes to wear. She should have known better, Rae didn't wear shoes with less than a 4 inch heel. Beca tried telling her that one day she was "going to take off her perfectly pointy toed death traps and find that her feet wear stuck like Barbie's." Rae's response was "Yeah, maybe but at least my designer 'death traps' are better than those dusty shit kickers you wear!"

Since they wore the same size shoe, Beca offered her a pair of Chuck Taylors to wear. Rae's response was. "Ugh, NO! I will not be seen dead with those monstrosities on my feet." Which meant they had to go shopping again so Rae could buy yet another pair of shoes. Leave it to Rae to go to New York without a single pair of comfortable shoes.

Beca was pretty certain that the only reason Rae had a head on her shoulders was for the sole purpose of wearing over priced make-up on her face and freakishly expensive jewelry from her neck and earlobes not to mention fancy haircuts and highlights. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she was supposed to have a brain in there somewhere. She swore that the sound that escaped Rae's head when she shook it rivaled the hollow sound of dice in a Yatzee cup.

They rode the ferry to Ellis Island before going over to Liberty Island. The tour guide filled them in on all the history of the Statue but they were really shocked to learn that the pedestal of the statue was closed to the public for nearly 3 years and crown was closed for nearly 8 years after the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States.

As they walked up the stairs inside the statue, Rae belly ached. "This is so boring!" and "It's hot!"

Beca simply turned around and said, "Shut your damn mouth and it won't be so hot in here!

"Well, that was just rude!" Rae rolled her eyes before she started complaining again. "My dogs are barkin', my legs are aching and my ass just plain hurts!"

"Your ass isn't aching, it's screaming that it has a vacancy and my foot is itching to find a room!"

"What does that even mean?" Rae asked confused.

Beca turned around so that they were nose to nose and she stared daggers into the younger girl, "That means that if you don't shut your pie hole, I'm gonna kick you in your ass right here in front of God and everybody!"

"Hmmph!" Rae pouted before turning around to proceed up the stairs.

Beca was glad to have had the opportunity and experience of touring the statue and the grounds, everything was lovely. She got really excited when they finally made it to the crown so she could take photos of the New York skyline. It was a view to die for and she was amazed at the ability to capture the entire skyline in one photo. It was an experience she would never forget.

After the statue tour was over, they got back on the ferry and went to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Beca didn't actually remember the events of 9/11 because she was only five but she remembered her mom crying and her dad saying something about "this means war." At the time Beca didn't know what that meant but she knew enough to know that it couldn't be good. When she was old enough, her dad sat down and told her all about what happened. So she wasn't surprised to find out that her dad purchased tickets for them to go to the memorial.

The memorial museum housed artifacts that were found in the rubble as well as things that were donated by the survivors and families of the victims. There were several places to stop and hear short audio clips of phone calls made from within the hijacked planes, the actual 911 calls and information from news reports. Video footage of the even played on a continuous loop.

As Beca stood watching the footage, she vaguely remembered her dad watching the news reports. He was so drawn in that he wouldn't even go to the table for meals. He would sit in the family room, eyes wide watching not only as the events unfolded but as updates were broadcast. News stations had continuous coverage and after a week her mom had finally had enough. She told him that while what was happening to the country was awful, he had completely ignored his family ''which was completely unacceptable" and that he "needed to pull his head out of his ass and live life in the here and now because he had two daughters that needed their Daddy." What Lucy said to him struck a chord and he was back to being his normal, regular self.

While Rae was happy to zip through the museum, Beca walked through slowly, taking in every last detail. She looked into the faces of those lost on that dreadful day, a day that would go down in history, a day that her children would read about in history books, a day that would never be forgotten. She looked at the items that were donated and read the stories of the victims and survivors. She could feel her heart breaking for the families that lost their loved ones. It finally became too much and Beca had to leave.

On their fifth day in New York, Rae tried to convince Beca to go with her to the Elizabeth Arden Spa for a day of pampering but she politely declined, choosing to go off on her own for a bit. She needed the break; Rae was really starting to get on her nerves. So, while Rae was at the spa, Beca went to the Conservatory Garden in Central Park. It was a European Garden with three different styles, French, Italian and English, there was a plethora of flowers, fountains, neatly trimmed hedges and walkways. It was quiet and serene, which was exactly what Beca needed. Surrounded by nature was where she was most comfortable. It was almost hard to believe that in the center of a place so full of buildings and concrete there was this beautiful sanctuary. Beca just sat and absorbed it all. She began to wonder if she could ever truly be happy in a place like this and could she really make a decision that would essentially affect the rest of her life in the next day and a half. New York was so different from what she was used to; back home she had wide open spaces and had to drive 45 minutes to town to see office buildings and those buildings were nothing in comparison to the ones in New York. Could she really leave the 500 acres she called home her entire life to live in a concrete jungle?

Beca walked around a bit more before deciding to go in search of gifts for everyone back at home. She knew she wanted to go into Tiffany's. She remembered Jesse saying that Nora pawned her engagement and wedding bands several years back when Jamie fell out of an oak tree and broke his arm. They needed the money to pay the hospital bills. They had nothing else to sell and Charlie refused to ask Tripp for a loan so Nora sacrificed her rings to keep their family afloat.

Nora was special to Beca and while she couldn't remember what Nora's original rings looked like she wanted to replace them. When Beca walked in the front doors of Tiffany's the store took her breath away. It was gorgeous, everything sparkled and shined. She was soon greeted by a sales lady named Alice, who promptly asked what she was looking for. Beca said that she wasn't really sure but that she would know it when she saw it.

Beca looked around for a bit before asking Alice to look at a couple different pieces. She finally decided on a simple three-row band ring with round brilliant diamonds pavé-set in 10 karat white gold. It was absolutely gorgeous, timeless and classic just like Nora and the minute Beca was able to get a closer look at it she knew that was the one...that was Nora's new ring. She knew it was an expensive gift but she didn't care. Nora was one of the most important people in her life. She always made Beca feel safe and loved. Nora was the person Beca ran to during tough times. Sure she loved her mother but Nora was the woman that raised her and she deserved nice things.

Beca told Alice what her dad and Charlie did for a living and that she was thinking about cuff links for both of them. Alice thought about it for a minute before she told Beca she would be right back. She came back with two pairs of cuff links. One was a pair of cowboy boots with a diamond accent in the spurs and the other pair was horse shoes with a diamond accent in the center of the horse shoe. Beca thought they were perfect and told Alice she wanted the boots for her dad and the horse shoes would be for Charlie.

Alice was following her around like a giddy school girl, drooling as she thought of the commission she was going to make off Beca's sale. Beca casually walked around the store occasionally stopping to look at something in one of the cases. When she came across a pair pearl drop earrings she knew she wanted those for Rae. With Rae crossed off the gift list, the last gift she needed to get before leaving was for her mom. She knew that her dad purchased a Tiffany charm bracelet for her so Beca decided to look at the charms. She finally found two charms, one that represented Beca and one that represented her trip to New York. She thought that her mom would love both of them and they would look great on her charm bracelet. After paying for everything she asked that it all be gift wrapped and sent to her hotel. The last thing she needed was to get mugged walking out of Tiffany's.

Stopping at Tiffany's allowed her to get most of the gifts she needed to buy but she still had to get something for Jesse and Jamie and knew she wouldn't find anything for them at Tiffany's. They definitely weren't the Tiffany's type, they were more of the rough and tumble type. She had an idea of what she wanted to get for Jesse but it was really expensive and while she loved him she was struggling with the cost associated with the gift. It was a major purchase and she wasn't usually one to spend a lot of money so she decided to sleep on it before making her final decision.

She knew Jamie wanted a black leather jacket and planned on getting him exactly what he wanted, she just had to find the right one. She had asked Alice before leaving Tiffany's if she knew of a place to purchase a really nice men's leather jacket. Alice recommended Hugo Boss. She thanked Alice for all of her assistance and suggestions then walked outside to hail a cab.

When she walked in Hugo Boss the smell of leather hit her the minute she walked in and for a moment she closed her eyes as she was transported back home and into Jesse's arms. He always smelled of leather, oak and sweat. She shook her head and brought herself back to reality before she did something super embarrassing. She was really missing Jesse and sure as shit didn't need to embarrass herself by having a 'When Harry Met Sally' moment in the middle of Hugo Boss.

By the time she finished shopping for Jamie she didn't have time to shop for Jesse. Shopping for Jesse would have to wait until later because she needed to get back to hotel to get ready for dinner. After dinner they were going to see Wicked which Beca was really excited about. While she enjoyed her day alone she had actually started to miss Rae's company.

On their last night in New York, Beca laid in bed listening to all the street noise wondering if it was ever realistic think that she could ever leave small town USA for all of this. She finally gave up on sleep and wandered out to the balcony to look up at the stars. It was then that she realized that she couldn't see a single star...not one. The only thing she found remotely comforting about the whole situation was that she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she and Jesse were at least looking up at the same sky, even if she couldn't see the stars. She missed home and she missed Jesse but she knew that she couldn't leave... yet. She needed some time to herself and she still had to get Jesse's gift before heading back home.

"Beca, it's late. Is everything ok?" Her dad asked.

"Yeah Dad, but I need to ask you something."

"What's that?"

"Can you arrange for me to stay for a couple extra days?"

"Beca, what's going on?"

"Dad, I'm coming home...I promise. I just need a couple days to myself so that I can take care of a couple of things."

"You want to stay in New York alone?"

"Yes Dad...please?"

"Ok Beca. I'm not crazy about you being there alone but I understand the need for some time alone." Tripp said. "I'll call the front desk. Will two extra nights enough?"

"Yes. I'll be ready to go by then."

"When I have everything squared away, I'll email everything to you."

"Thanks Dad. I love you."

"Love you too baby. Hurry home."

"I will. G'nite."

"Nite."

Beca sat at the desk in her room and took a piece of hotel stationary out of the drawer. She began writing a letter to Jesse.

"Dear Jesse,

By now you know that I'm still in New York and I'm sorry you're disappointed.

I just needed a little me time before coming home.

I'll be home soon...I promise. I love and miss you so much!

XOXO

Beca"

She put the letter in a hotel envelope, wrote his name on the outside and sealed it before finally going to bed.

The next morning Beca woke up to find herself nose to nose with Rae.

"What are you doing in my bed?" Beca asked groggily as she rolled over.

"I came in here to wake you but you looked so peaceful. So instead of waking you, I decided to lay down for a minute."

"And?"

"And you need to get up. We have about an hour before we need to leave for the airport and you haven't packed or showered."

"Oh...that's right, you don't know yet." Beca said as she stretched.

"Know what?"

"I'm staying a few extra days."

Rae got snippy, "Oh? When did this happen?"

"Late last night."

"Am I staying too?"

"No, I'm staying alone."

"Well, ok. I guess I'll see you when you get home." Rae said shrugging.

Beca got up and walked across the room. "I need you to give this to Jesse." she said handing the envelope to Rae.

Raising an eyebrow Rae asked, "You aren't breaking up with him are you?"

"Oh God no. I told you I just need a few extra days."

"Are you ok?" Rae crossed her arms, "You aren't pregnant...are you?"

Beca nodded. "I'm better than ok and no, I'm not pregnant."

"And you are coming home...right?"

"Yes! I'll be home Monday afternoon."

Rae sighed, "Ok. I love you." she said as she hugged Beca.

"I love you too kiddo. Text me when you get home."

"I will." Rae said as she walked out of Beca's room.

A/N: So this was a lot of fluff and filler but I felt it was all kinda necessary. Originally this chapter was much longer, but I've separated it into two chapters. I'll have the next chapter up tomorrow for Smut Sunday! ;)