"Hey are you ready yet?"

Beca had been trying to find the right thing to wear to dinner all day. She had taken no calls (there had been calls), she had eaten very little food, and she had definitely not found the right thing to wear. She didn't even know why she was trying so hard. Well maybe she did. Beca was not one to lie to herself. She might try to avoid things, not think about things, but when she owned up to it there was no going back.

Beca did not like this woman. She wasn't there. Yet. The yet part was what she was trying to not think about, but these thoughts had persisted all day. Yet. Sighing she collapsed on the bed. These were the facts: She was thankful to Chloe. She was intrigued by Chloe and she was intrigued by her reaction to Chloe. She wanted to impress Chloe, for Chloe to like her. That fast friends comment was really bugging her. And she Did Not like this woman yet. She wasn't ready.

Beca looked down at herself. This outfit would have to do. It was, admittedly, the best so far. It was very lesbian semi-casual. Dark skinny jeans, a button up (sleeves rolled up of course), bow tie, suspenders, the works. Rising she called out to Sam.

"Yeah I'm ready."

When Beca walked out and looked at Sam she paused. This kid had style. A button up tucked into red shorts and a small barrette pinning her bangs back.

"What? Is this not ok?" Sam asked, gesturing to her outfit.

"No no. I think you look really great. What about me? Be honest?"

"You look alright, I guess."

They both smiled at each other. The first time in a long time.

"Thanks, I guess."

After a few seconds of laughter, Sam suddenly stopped and looked down. Beca couldn't deny that she was disappointed. She missed the great times she had with Sam before. She knew the wall between her and Sam was entirely her fault, but that didn't stop her from the feelings of regret and guilt she felt more and more everyday.

"Well let's go."

The walk to Chloe's house might have been short, but it was still so so uncomfortable. Neither knew what to say. Neither really wanted to say anything. But as soon as they walked into Chloe's house they both relaxed.

"Hey guys! Hey! I'm really glad you're here, and you really have great timing. I was just plating our dinner."

Chloe had that effect on both of them. Her personality enveloped them and made them feel safe and welcome, made their hurts sting a little less. All of the uncomfortableness vanished the instant Chloe had smiled at them.

They followed her into the dining room. "Here. I brought this for you."

"Wine! That's great. I really am a wine person. Every once in a while I'll have a woodchuck or something, but wine is my guilty pleasure defiantly."

Beca smiled at her. "Yeah I figured that. You really seem like a wine person."

"I"m going to take that as a compliment and disregard that tone in your voice. I am not so easily figured out as you might think."

Beca, Chloe, and Sam were laughing as they sat down at the table.

"Hold on and let me go get the plates."

When she came walking in with the plates Beca instantly stiffened.

"Is Italian ok, guys? I really enjoy it, and stuffed shells is my favorite."

"Yeah. It looks great. We never have Italian food," said Sam.

Beca could barely stay in her seat. The urge to get up and leave, to go anywhere else. "Yeah...looks..great."

Beca was nervous no doubt about it. She was tapping out a beat with her feet. It was getting more and more complex as the seconds passed on. She was just about to leave. About to bolt and make up some story about getting sick at the last minute, but her door finally opened. Laurie looked amazing. Her dress was simple, her hair curled, and flats for shoes, but she had never looked better.

"Wow."

"Thank you, you eloquent fool. Your words astound me more and more everyday."

"I think I'm rubbing off on you in a very bad way."

They both laughed, Beca's with a hint of nervous and Laurie's with more than a hint of excitement. It had taken Beca ages to ask Laurie out. After over a month of spending almost everyday hanging out she had finally gotten the courage to do it. It's not that Beca had been nervous that Laurie would turn her down, the hand holding and cuddling kinda clued her in, she was more nervous about what would come after.

Beca was not a relationship person. Her parents had kinda ruined her on them. When she was younger everything had been normal. They had gone on family trips and had eaten dinner together. Slowly this had all fell apart. As Beca got older the trips stopped. Soon after the dinners stopped too. She saw less and less of her dad. He was always at work, or off on a trip. When he was home all her parents did was fight. Beca would hide in her room listening to music to drown out the sound of her parents. That's what music had started out as, a method of hiding. Soon it turned into an escape. She thought herself the inner workings of music, and her mom felt so guilty about the household falling apart that she bought Beca the DJ equipment that allowed Beca to escape more. Eventually her parents divorced. It was messy. Beca and her mom ended up moving into a small apartment while her father moved across the country in a nice house with his new wife. Beca's mom would bring home men every now and then, but nothing lasted.

This was the only example of relationships that Beca had. This is what she was nervous about. Laurie deserved more than someone that would eventually mess up, and Beca knew that she would eventually mess it up. But she was selfish, her feelings had grown and grown until she couldn't handle it anymore.

"Hey. Beca. Relax." Laurie starting running her hands up and down Beca's arms. These movements soothed Beca. She couldn't help it, this is what Laurie did to her.

"Ok. Yeah. I'm here."

"Good. I need you to be right here. Ok?"

"Ok."

Laurie smiled. "Ok. So where are you taking me?"

"I was thinking Italian?"

"I love Italian. That sounds great!"

The date had gone perfectly. Beca had ordered stuffed shells and Laurie got spaghetti with meat sauce.

"You're pretty plain jane, huh?"

"Excuse me. I happen to love plain ol' spaghetti. Besides I'm planning on eating some of yours. So."

"This is my plate. There will be no stealing of my food."

"Well that's how I am. Both plates are open territory. You better get used to it missy."

Beca just smiled. There was no way she could argue with Laurie. This was only the first date, but Beca was pretty sure she was in love.

"Hello! Beca? Are you here?"

"Um. Yeah. I'm here."

Chloe smiled at her. "Good. So what're you reading now Sam?"

"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

Beca perked up. "Oh yeah? I loved that book when I was your age."

"Yeah it's great. Even though it's pretty old."

Beca burst out laughing. "Hey! I resent that. I am not old, thank you very much."

Sam started laughing too. "That's not what I meant. I swear."

Dinner went better than Chloe could have hoped. Beca and Sam had not talked like this in years. It wasn't only this conversation but the rest that followed. Chloe was happy to sit back quietly and watch the two interact. It was amazing how alike the mother and daughter were. They looked almost nothing alike, but their expressions and even their hand motions were so similar it was difficult imagine that they weren't biological mother and daughter. But, of course, this was all chloe could do, imagine. Neither had disclosed any facts about their past or any of their situations. This was nothing new to Chloe. She understood that some people cloaked themselves in secrecy for necessity. She understood that very well, but it didn't stop Chloe from wanting to learn more. Her eyes were lingering on Beca longer and longer. She was finding herself more drawn to the woman. She had to control herself, though. Moving too fast would scare Beca away. Beca and Sam.

"Right, Chloe?" Sam was looking at her expectantly.

"Um, sorry?"

No, she couldn't move too quickly, but how long could she wait.

"I'll see you soon Sam!" Chloe was holding open the door for her guests. After a long dinner and several poorly hid yawns from Sam, they were calling it a night.

"Yeah, see you soon Chloe." Sam dashed forward and wrapped Chloe in a quick hug and then ran off out the door.

Chloe looked up at Beca, a huge smile on her face. Beca slowly mirrored Chloe's smile.

"She never does that. There's something special about you Beale." Beca instantly turned a deep red, and, if possible, Chloe's smile deepened.

"Well, see you," Beca mumbled and hurried out the door.

Chloe slowly shut the door still smiling

A couple hours later the lights in both houses were off, Sam was fast asleep, but Beca was laying wide awake. She was running dinner through her head over and over. Everything Sam had said to her. The way she looked at Beca, like she was her mom again. And then there was Chloe. Everything she had said. Her laugh. Her movements. Everything she did. But why? This wasn't supposed to happen.

Beca rolled over and grabbed the pillow next to her. She buried her head in it and squeezed her eyes shut.

"I miss you so much."

The pillow was only slightly wet when Beca left it. She wandered blindly through the house out the door. She stumbled and supported herself on the fence that seemed to appear beneath her.

"Beca?"

Beca gasped and looked up through the night to the house in front of her.