Disclaimer: Pitch Perfect does not belong to me.

Sweet Company

Chapter 1 - Sweet Dreams

"What the f–!"

Beca panted as she fought to sit up in bed, her skin dewed with perspiration.

She continued to breathe heavily, clutching her blanket close to her chest with trembling hands.

Not again. It was the third night in the row.

She suddenly heard footsteps advance along the stairs.

Beca sighed. That, of course, would be Fat Amy, sneaking in again from her last midnight romp with Bumper on campus.

She briefly considered falling back into bed just pretending to be asleep, but thought against it at the last minute. A little chat with her quirky roommate was just what she needed to clear her head.

"Hey Amy." She said calmly as her roommate turned the corner. This was immediately followed by a cry and a loud thud. Beca winced as she heard her friend cuss in her lilted voice as she endeavoured to find her footing.

Light burst forth across the room.

"Jesus, you scared the crap out of me!" Fat Amy complained, her hand still on the light switch.

"Sorry." Beca grinned unrepentantly. "Just think of this as the last time, roomie. Tomorrow, we move out."

Amy's face fell. "Aw, when you put it that way." She crashed down onto her bunk, and looked pensively at the ceiling. "Damn. It'll hurt like hell."

Beca followed her cue and laid back onto her bed. "What will?"

Fat Amy sighed. "When you miss me, of course. And mark my words, you are really, really gonna miss me."

The brunette glanced over to her roommate. "And you're really, really gonna miss me too."

They both exchanged smiles.

Amy suddenly propped herself up on her elbows. "Hey, you know what, let's just stay up the whole night and talk about girl stuff."

"Girl stuff?" Beca frowned. "Such as?"

"Oh, the usual." Her friend replied casually, "Music, sex and drugs…"

"Uh what?"

"Let's start with sex–" Fat Amy began.

"Don't you always?" Beca cut in with a raised eyebrow.

"–dreams." The blonde finished with a naughty wink.

"What?" Beca cried, sitting up straight in bed.

"What's wrong? You look pale."

"Uh nothing, nothing." The brunette lied, forced herself to settle back in bed. She glanced over at Amy nervously. "W-why the sudden interest?"

"Sudden? It's anything but sudden." Amy looked at her in surprise. "Oh, come on! You must have had some yourself, I mean, anyone who says they've never had them must be lying…or just really cursed." She looked at Beca meaningfully, who nearly choked.

"Uh yeah, I suppose I might have had a few." Beca muttered noncommittally, feeling her cheeks heat up.

Fat Amy nodded, satisfied. "That's what I thought. So, describe your kinkiest sex dream?"

"I'm not sure I wanna talk about this, Amy."

"Oh come on, you owe it to me. Particularly after you decided to pull out of our tour."

Beca groaned. She wasn't prepared to go through it all again. "Fine." She growled, deciding to go for the lesser of the two evils. "Actually, I do have a question to ask about this um dream I had."

"Oh, yeah? Let's hear it then. I'm great at interpreting sex dreams."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, half the time they usually mean that the person needs more sex."

"And what about the other half?"

"That the person's been having too much sex?" Amy gestured to herself with her thumbs and mouthed "Me." with a suggestive wink.

Beca laughed, feeling slightly more at ease. She stared blankly into space for a few seconds before taking in a deep breath to summon up the courage to ask the next question.

"And what if you have one about a friend…a close friend?"

Beca cringed even as she blurted out the question. She half-shut her eyes as she awaited her friend's verdict and judgement.

Fat Amy's response wasn't quite what she expected.

"Oh, yeah, I've had plenty of those too. Like real nice ones."

Beca looked at her with interest. "You have?"

"Yeah, duh! Spill! What was yours about?"

Beca bit her lower lip. "I might've had one about…Stacie?" She finished, changing her mind at the last second. She wasn't quite sure why, but Stacie's name had just popped into her head.

Probably because she's Barden University's number one sex icon, Beca reasoned to herself. And many girls have actually admitted to the same. So it can't be all that bad.

But Fat Amy shot straight up in bed. "What? You had a sex dream about Stacie too?"

"Whoa, you mean you had one about Stacie too?"

"Me?" Fat Amy shuddered. "God, no."

"Huh?" Beca froze. "Who was yours then?"

"Um, well, Bumper."

Beca threw a pillow at her roommate. "What?" She yelled. "That doesn't count! Bumper's not a girl!"

"You never said anything about girls!" Fat Amy cried, as she caught the pillow. "And it so does count! I used to have sex dreams about him when we were just friends…you know, before we started dating– officially."

Beca cursed under her breath as it dawned on her that she hadn't really specified. "You have got to be kidding me!" She scolded herself.

"Hey! I'm not the pervert here!" Fat Amy cried defensively, failing to understand. "God Beca, first Chloe and now Stacy...who's next, you filthy girl?" With a sudden realisation, she started to cover up her ample bosoms with her arms in horror, inching further back against the wall. "I can't believe we've been sleeping in the same room for the past two years."

Beca's jaw dropped. "You know about Chloe?"

"Well, duh. You've been moaning her name every night for the past week." Her roommate grinned guiltily. "I would've brought it up sooner, only I've been busy with…other things."

"Oh God…" Beca groaned, burying her face in her knees, her face burning with humiliation.

Fat Amy sighed. She got up from her bed and sat down beside her petite friend, placing a comforting arm around her.

"Look, Beca, I just want you to know that I'll love you all the same, even if you are a lesbian. And also, you probably will need professional help for all those filthy thoughts you've been having." Amy stopped, and added as an afterthought. "Or more sex."

Beca lifted her head and glared at her friend. "I'm not lesbian!"

"Shush, it's going to be alright." Fat Amy soothed, forcing Beca's head onto her shoulder and patting it. She paused. "Oh sorry, is this turning you on?"

Beca glared at her friend who merely looked at her in concern. She couldn't tell if Amy was joking.

"Can it, Fat Amy."

She sniffed and added sullenly. "And I did not have a sex dream about Stacie."

"Aw, of course you didn't, Beca." Fat Amy cooed sympathetically.

Beca sighed morosely. "Damn it."

"Chloe, you have to make your peace with Beca." Aubrey said softly, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I'm okay."

"Well, no you really aren't."

Chloe looked up at Aubrey in irritation. "And how do you know that?" She snapped.

"You've started biting your nails again."

The redhead looked down.

"Oh." She said, pulling her hand away from her teeth. "This has nothing to do with it, I'm just nervous about our Asian World Tour. We barely have time as it is to prepare our cheoreography…"

Aubrey nodded her head thoughtfully. "Who's helping you with the music arrangement now that Beca's gone?"

Chloe stiffened at the sound of her name, but pretended as though she hadn't heard it at all. "I can manage it." She said shortly. "Besides, Emily's eager to help."

Aubrey sighed and studied her best friend with concern. They had been meeting up frequently since her own graduation three years ago, and Aubrey was startled by how much Chloe had changed since their senior year – well, ever since that girl came into their lives. Chloe had quickly evolved from her mild-mannered, sweet self to a fiercely passionate and ambitious leader. They were traits that Aubrey approved of, though she definitely disagreed with some of Chloe's decisions.

For starters, Chloe had decided to repeat three years of Barden University just to stay on with the Bellas. That, even to Aubrey, was a little insane. She had dutifully coaxed and persuaded Chloe to, in her own words, "let go", but it was to no avail. Chloe was undoubtedly obsessed.

Then, just about a month ago, Chloe had urgently confessed to her about her woes with the Bellas, and had begged her to help them "rediscover their sound". Aubrey was touched by Chloe's faith in her, but always knew that her friend hero-worshipped her a little. Not that it was completely unfounded, of course. So when Aubrey suggested once more for Chloe to 'move on', as the Bellas sat around the campfire, she hadn't suspected a thing when her best friend finally agreed to do just that.

Now, it all seemed clear.

"You should tell her how you really feel." Aubrey murmured, placing a comforting hand on her back. "You know you've always loved her – from the first day you laid eyes on her."

Chloe looked at Aubrey, utterly stricken. Her blue eyes glittered and she bit her trembling lip in restraint.

Aubrey smiled at her encouragingly. "I'll always be here for you. No matter the outcome."

With a strangled sob, the redhead flung her arms around Aubrey and held on to her tightly.

"There, there." Aubrey whispered, patting Chloe awkwardly on the back. "There, there."

"So…did it happen like a three-way?"

Beca pulled back. "Please tell me you haven't told anyone about this."

Fat Amy looked at her guiltily.

"Amy!"

"Just kidding!" She grinned, giving the much relieved Beca a friendly push. She paused. "Although I was pretty drunk the other day…"

Beca leapt to her feet. "Amy, you have to promise that you won't say a word about this to anyone! Ever!"

Fat Amy looked up at her unblinkingly. "Are you going to make me swear it in blood?"

Beca's lips thinned. "Yes."

"Look," Fat Amy began, shrugging her shoulders carelessly, "You've officially left the Barden Bellas anyway, what does it matter?"

Beca opened her mouth to retort, but stopped. Fat Amy was right. Tomorrow, Beca and the rest of the Bellas would be going their separate ways...for good. What would it matter if she never saw them…if she never saw Chloe again?

Chloe…?

She took a few steps back. "We'll meet up occasionally, I'm sure of it…" She muttered hollowly. But even as the words left her lips, a single tear rolled gently down her cheek.

This is…really happening.

"Yeah well, that's what they all say…" Her roommate replied obliviously. "But you'll soon forget all about us when you become a famous music producer."

Beca gritted her teeth. "That's crazy!" She said with sudden heat.

Amy looked taken aback, but quickly recovered. "Yeah, you're right. It's more likely that we'll forget you when we become an international A Cappella sensation."

"Wha–?"

"Only we won't. Forget you, I mean." Fat Amy quickly added.

Beca frowned. "Gee, thanks."

"No problem, bestie. We couldn't possibly turn you away if you decide to come crawling back– Oh! It'll just be like the good old days with Aubrey!"

Beca rolled her eyes, though she smiled at the memory. "Think Chloe will feel the same way?"

Amy looked confused. "You mean before or after I tell her about your dirty little secret?"

"Fat Amy!"

"Do you need more tissue?" Aubrey asked gently.

"No, thank you." Chloe shook her head, blowing her nose into the bunch in her hand.

"Just let it all out."

Chloe looked up at her brokenly. "I must look terrible. I mean, I feel pathetic."

Aubrey looked at the black streaks of mascara running down her pale cheeks and forced a smile. She looked like a Kiss groupie. "Nope, not at all." She replied loyally.

Chloe reached out to hug her best friend again. "Why couldn't I have fallen in love with you instead?"

Aubrey coughed uncomfortably. "Well, I think I'll take that as a compliment…"

Chloe nodded into Aubrey's shoulder.

"So erm, Beca and Jesse, are they still a thing?"

"I suppose," Chloe sniffed, "but you should've seen the way Beca was looking at that German chick. I've never seen her like that before."

"Yeah, I noticed it at World's. It was…weird." Aubrey paused for a moment to think. "But you know what's interesting? That German chick reminded me so much of Beca when she first joined the Bellas."

"You mean amazingly talented?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "I mean, her looks."

"What? Beca looks nothing like her!"

"Oh come on, excessive eyeliner and mascara, black nail polish, weird clothing, and a bad attitude and swagger? Don't deny it."

Chloe looked up at her skeptically. "I don't know about the bad attitude…"

"Chloe," Aubrey began, suddenly bubbling with excitement, "Beca clearly has a type!"

"Yeah, and I'm not it."

"Well," Aubrey pronounced carefully while holding Chloe's gaze, "not unless you are prepared to invest in excessive amounts of mascara and black nail polish. And ugly clothing."

"Aubrey?" The redhead's voice trembled with uncertainly. "What are you saying?"

But the other girl was already grinning maniacally, her eyes sparkling with inspiration. "Rejoice, Chloe, for I, Aubrey Posen, have the perfect plan to make Beca Mitchell fall head over heels in love with you!"