a week later.

Beca was half asleep in a meeting. She could hardly stayed focused or keep herself from yawning despite having had two cups of coffee.

She was so pumped about the fact that she was producing a song after so long: she spent the night working on the demo that she and Mae had discussed. They went through the basic, what Mae wanted and Beca tried to translate it into music. She ditched the music equipment and went for an old school approach: composing and playing it on a keyboard.

Getting back to making music felt great but it was also tiresome because, since it was a mere demo and had nothing to do with the label, she was doing in her free time.

A nudge woke her from her semi-sleep.

"Shit," she murmured, realizing that she had actually started to fall asleep.

"Were you up all night?" Matt leaned in so that he could whisper into her ear. She nodded then accepted the cup of coffee he handed her. "I got it right before they called us in."

"Thanks," she took a sip.

"You think all this is pep talk for you gonna be out of job in a few months?" he asked.

"I'm pretty sure that's the case," she whispered back. "Otherwise, why would they send an executive from L.A?" she sat up and tried to catch up with what going on in the meeting between departments directors and the executive.

He was bullshitting them and that's all she picked up. The moment he broke the news of the "high" possibility of cutting off the NYC branch all hell broke loose. Everyone was trying to have a say and it seemed to her that she was the only one who understood that they actually stood a chance.

From all the charts and bullshit they were presented with, it was clear that if they pulled their shit together and made some profits they won't get cut off.

"Guys," she called, looking between her co-workers. "Guys," she raised her voice a little and stood up. Matt and the executive were the only ones that acknowledged her.

Matt took a deep breath then brought his fingers to his mouth and whistled very loudly to get their attention. Beca covered her ears as the whistling was too close to her. "What were you saying?" Matt looked up at Beca once they all gave him the attention Beca wanted.

"Yeah," she paused, resting her hands on the table. "Tell me, sir," she tilted her head to look at the executive, "how much money do we need to make to keep this branch going?" she asked.

"Humor me," she added when he scoffed.

"A couple of millions," he said.

"And how much time we have?" she asked.

"We can't just let you go—"

"—you want us to quit so that you won't have to give us more money?" Matt cut him off.

"Cutting off an entire branch isn't easy. It takes time," he pretended to not have heard Matt.

"So, you're here today to give us a heads-up?" Beca asked.

"If you want to put it that way," he nodded then paused thinking of approximately how much time they have before they let them all go. "seven months from now the decision would be finalized."

"So, we have seven months to make 2 million dollars otherwise we're out of jobs?" Beca asked.

He apologetically nodded.

"That's impossible. We never made that much in 7 months!" one of the employee's exclaimed, cuing for chaos to take place and end the meeting.

Beca followed the executive when he exited the room. "You can't be serious with the 2 million dollars. This branch doesn't have the resources to distribute on a large scale: no way we'll make that much money."

"You saw the charts. This is the weakest branch. Believe me, this isn't an easy decision," he pushed the button for the elevator.

"You make changes when something isn't working. You don't cut it off," she stepped inside the elevator with him while she eyed him. "There's something else, isn't there?" she asked. "What didn't you tell us?" she questioned, confident that he was hiding something.

"Why do you care some much about this? Aren't you transferring back to L.A. Ms. Mitchell?"

"Tell me what are you guys planning to do?" she rephrased her questioned. "I won't tell the others, as you said, I'm leaving," she shrugged.

He sighed, "the plan isn't to just cut this branch," he paused. "It's more like fire everyone, give this branch a new name, and hire new people."

"That's why you set a high number," she ran her fingers through her hair.

"It's a lost cause, Ms. Mitchell," he said, watching her.

"If we made like 250 thousand in say 4 months from now, you think we could get headquarters to help us distribute? Like give us money to distribute?" she asked.

"If you make that by new year's eve, I will make a case for you," he said.

"That's less than 2 months from now" she exclaimed, steeping in front of the door to keep him from existing the elevator.

"We can't put more money in this place. It's like water though sand," he said, showing great sympathy in his tone.

Beca nodded then made way for him get out of the elevator before she leaned against the wall.

Signing multiple artists wasn't an option: they can't invest money they don't have. She thought about Emily and Bumper, they were both recording artists with decent fame but they were both signed to different labels. Legally speaking, it would a pain in the ass to get the to record something for her label.

The people currently signed under her watch weren't well known enough to make her 250 thousand dollars in 2 months.

"There you are," Matt said, spotting Beca as she made her way out of the elevator. "Where did you go?" he curiously asked.

"I was with the exec," she told him. "And, dude, we're fucked." She started to make her way to her office.

"What d'he say?"

"Please, don't tell the others," she said pushing the door to her office.

"I've known about the shut down for months, Beca, and didn't tell anyone," he reminded.

"They are going to fire everyone working here, get new people, and give it a new name." she took a seat on her office chair.

"Are they like redecorating a house?" he chuckled.

"Matt this is pretty serious, it'd be great if you didn't joke about it," she rested her elbows on the desk and held her head.

"Why do you care? I don't get it," he sat down. "You don't even know people working here," he shrugged.

"I just do," she answered. She cared because she felt that if she didn't at least try to do something it would mean that she failed. And, Beca Mitchell didn't do failure. She had a weak moment when she considered quiting but talking to Chloe helped.

"So, what's the plan?" he asked her.

"I'm trying to think of something that wouldn't cost us much money and make us profit," she looked up.

"Vegas?" he suggested in amusement. "Imagine we hit a jackpot," he added to which she rolled her eyes.

"Hey you could sign yourself," he suggested after a beat.

"Matt, I'm gonna kick you out my office if you don't stop," she said in irritation.

"No, I'm serious," he sat up. "You're like an A cappella god, right?" Beca nodded at his question. "Think of all the a cappella nerds that would buy your music."

"They won't go for it," she shook her head.

"Why?"

"First, I haven't been in the spotlight in years. Second, it wasn't just me: I'm part of a group and in a cappella you can't do a solo work."

"Then get your team to record an album," he exclaimed in excitement.

"You think that could work?" she asked, intrigued by his proposition.

"We let out a word in the a cappella community that your group is thinking of making one last record together or something. You could arrange a song, record it and out on Spotify and ITunes. We see if they want more and if they did you make an album with your friends and relive your glory days," he shrugged.

"I need to see if the girls are up for this," she grabbed her phone and tapped on her messaging app and looked for the Bellas group chat that hasn't been active in a while.

"We won't make 2 million dollars, that's for sure, but it's a start, right?" Matt said watching Beca type a text.

"Yeah. I have this side project too," she looked up after sending out the text and told him about Mae.

A month later.

Back when Beca handed Emily the pitch pipe, she thought that she'd never arrange a song for the Bellas ever again. She thought wrong because after texting her friends and explaining the situation to them they were all more than happy to help her out. Even Emily, who managed with the help of her legal team to find a way to that let her sign a record deal outside the label she was signed to as long as it's not solo work. Beca made an arrangement that consisted of a mashup of songs from different genere and made sure to only include songs property to her label to avoid legal issues. the Bellas flew over to New York and recorded the song with her and for her.

Their song blew up online and A Cappella fans wanted more of them. Beca didn't want to jinx it but it was a very good start.

On the other hand, the demo Beca collaborated on with Mae went well and Beca was positive that signing Mae was a great decision.

It was thanksgiving, the Bellas all flew to New York to celebrate it with Beca. She was trying to keep it together but the pressure of working on two albums at once was eating her up.

She couldn't let other producers work on these projects because; a- they didn't know how a cappella worked. b- Mae's a newbie and she needs to guide her through everything. c- she green lit for the people working under her watch to work on personal projects that they later give to artists who are previously signed to the label which meant they were all busy trying to keep their jobs.

Chloe saw how her friend was struggling and got the Bellas to travel to NYC to be with their friend because she needed them.

"What are you doing?" Stacie asked when she walked on Beca, sitting on her bed, holding a notebook and a pen.

"I just thought of melody for this," she tapped her finger on a page then put the notebook down along with the pen and started playing on her keyboard.

"Beca, we're having dinner in like 20 minutes, you should be helping out," she walked to her friend and took the notebook from Beca.

"For which album is this?" she asked.

"ours," Beca answered. "Em wrote that," she gestured at the notebook.

"Okay," Stacie closed it. "You're overworked," she put the notebook on the nightstand. "I mean, look at the bags under your eyes."

"Stacie, I need to make 250 thousand dollars by New Year's eve."

"You won't live to make that if you keep going like this," she gave her hand to Beca who took it and got up. "People are buying the mashup like crazy, it's making its way to the top in the charts and people are waiting for more. You will make that much if not more," she gave her one sided hug as they walked out of the room.

"Whoa, this is a lot of food," Beca said in surprise as she eyed the table that somehow her friends managed to set in her small living area.

"For one person: hell yeah. For 8 adult women: about right," Stacie shrugged.

Beca took a look around her apartment and couldn't help but smile at ambiance; Chloe, Amy and Emily were in the kitchenette singing as they decorate muffins for dessert. Cynthia-Rose, who drove all the way from Maine when she couldn't find a flight, was in a corner yelling at the girls to keep it quiet so that should could have a word on the phone, with who Beca had guessed was her wife. Flo and Lily were setting the table unfazed by the yelling/ singing going on in the apartment.

"I'm so gonna get noise complains," Beca sighed, watching Stacie pace to the kitchen and join the others as they started singing Wannabe By Spice Girls and rolled her eyes when they looked at her expectantly when they got to the chorus before she joined them.

After getting dessert done, they sat around the table to have dinner.

"We may not be as close as we were in college but you're here when I needed you," she paused to clear her throat. "You really are my family," she added. "And I love you very much," she looked down at her plate.

"I'd let you finish the last slice of cheesecake, BM," Fat Amy affectionate said.

"Thanks Amy," Beca chuckled, looking up and putting her fork down, before crossing her arms. "I'm thankful for having you, awesome nerds," Beca smiled, looking between her former teammates and current best friends. Beca's smile turned into a grin when Chloe threw her arm around her shoulder and pulled her into her embrace while pressing a kiss on her cheek.

Her friends didn't hesitate to help her out and she truly felt lucky and blessed to have them.

"Hey when are you gonna make a music video?" Cynthia Rose casually asked.

"Music video?" Beca frowned.

"Yeah, image sells, Beca," Stacie agreed.

"I know it does but we're running on a tight budget, I can't put money in hiring a director and all the staff that comes with making a music video."

"You don't have to worry about hair and make up," Chloe said after swallowing, "we'll do our hair make up ourselves, right girls?" Chloe beamed when she was met with a chorus of yeahs.

"As for the director, get someone who works in indie stuff. They're cheaper than those who work in the mainstream industry," Amy told her.

Beca thought about it: they could get more publicity by dropping a music video where they do some choreography similar to the ones they did when they were in college. Go for the nostalgic factor.

"I'll start working on getting everything this Monday," Beca took a look around the table. "Where's Lily?" she asked no one in particular.

"She's in the bathroom," Flo answered.

"When did that happen?" Beca wondered. Lily was sitting in a way she'd be facing her.

"She's a ninja," Amy casually told Beca who was checking her phone that chimed with a text from Mae.

"Is that invitation still standing?"

"Yeah. You should hurry though if you want to eat."

"I'm 10 minutes away."

"Text me when you get here."

Beca put down her phone and picked up her fork, resuming dinner.

"Who was that?" Chloe asked.

"Mae," Beca answered as she chewed. "I invited her, 'cause she's working over the holidays, in case she got out of work early."

"Why is she working on thanksgiving?" Stacie asked.

"She's Jewish," Beca answered.

"Why is she still working at the bar when she got signed to your label?" Amy asked.

"That is none of my business. She shows up on time on our meetings and that is all I care about—Can anyone go check on Lily?"

"I'll go," Amy got up started to make her way to the bedroom then walked back, "I'm just gonna grab this first," she neatly grabbed a leg from the turkey.

"Guys, she's not here," Amy said from the bathroom. "Oh, wait, she's on sitting on the door."

"What?" Beca got up and paced to the bathroom and saw for herself that Lily was actually sitting on the door.

"What are you doing up there, weirdo?" she asked. "Why am I even asking?" she murmured to herself. "Do your thing just don't break anything," she said and walked back into the living area.

"That's probably Mae," Beca said, hearing the doorbell. She buzzed her in and went back to the table until they heard a knock.

"Hi," Beca smiled unlocking the door.

"I didn't know what to get so I brought red wine," she extended the wine bottle.

"Red wine is awesome, thanks," Beca stepped back and let her in.

"Mae these are my best friends," Beca gestured with her hand at the table. "Chloe, Stacie, Cynthia Rose, Flo, Lily's sitting there and I don't know when she'll be back, Emily, and last but not least Amy."

"Fat Amy," Fat Amy corrected.

"Well, it's a pleasure meeting you all," Mae said as took off her messenger bag and jacket. Amy tapped on the empty chair next to her and nodded for Mae to come.

Beca put the wine on the counter and walked back to the table.

"Your place is ..." Mae trailed off, taking a look around the apartment.

"A size of a shoe-box?" Emily guessed.

"Smaller than mine," Mae finished her sentence.

"Bigger doesn't mean better, trust me," Beca said to her, thinking about her L.A. 4 bedroom apartment.

"Unless, you're talking about dicks," Stacie pointed out.

"We're eating," Beca chocked on her food.

"Everyone on this table except for Cynthia Rose likes dicks." Cynthia Rose nodded in approving what her friend was saying. I thought you didn't but that was ages ago," Stacie casually spoke and was met with agreement from rest of the bellas and an awkward look from Mae.

"Don't look at me like that. You were one pixie cut away from convincing me that you're queer back in freshmen year."

"Les-be-honest, you are a little bit of a dyke," Amy said, taking a sip from her glass of wine.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not," Beca said then tilted her head when Chloe tapped her shoulder. "What—" Beca started to questioned but was shut up by Chloe's lips when she pressed them over hers and pulled her into a deep kiss.

"Girls, that was hot!" Cynthia Rose exclaimed once they pulled away gasping for air. Her comment was followed by hollering from Emily.

"What was that for, weirdo?" Beca asked Chloe.

"To help us prove a point," Stacie answered. "Let's take an outsider's opinion on the situation," she looked at Mae who was looking at Chloe and Beca in amazement.

"Mae, what did you think?"

"I'm gonna be honest, that kiss turned me on." she shrugged.

"I rest my case!" Stacie smugly said as she leaned against her chair.

"You guys are all weird," Beca finally said as she shook her head.

"So are you," Flo told her.

"I'm really sorry you had to see and hear all this," Beca apologized to Mae.

"Are you seriously apologizing? Your squad is goals."

"We consider ourselves a family. Chloe and Beca are the parents," Amy told her.

"What was that?" Mae looked behind her hearing the sound of something hitting the floor from the bedroom.

"Probably Lily doing a superhero landing," Emily was the one to give Mae some insight.

Lily eventually re-joined them when they were cleaning up the table.

"Leftovers are in the fridge," Chloe told Lily who nodded and murmured to herself.

"How did you get out of work early?" Beca asked Mae as she removed the fold down table from the middle of the living area and finally make room for them to walk around.

"Jesse came in early," she replied. "I owe that guy a lot. He has covered for me so many times ever since he got back to working full time."

"Full time?" Beca frowned. Since she was working 24/7 Beca had little to no time to go hang at the bar so she didn't know about Jesse working full time at the bar.

"Yeah, I didn't ask but I think he quit working at the school," she shrugged.

"When did he quit?" Beca asked and watched Mae turn thoughtful.

"Um, like a month ago. Maybe a little more."

Beca thought back at the night she kind of lashed out at him after he kissed her because of his jealousy and how he had a busted hand and wondered if it had anything to do with what Mae had informed her with. She decided to drop by the bar and ask him. His job at the school's important: It's his main source of in come. He couldn't just have quit the job he paid child support from.

"It's getting late," Mae said, breaking Beca's train of thoughts. "I'm gonna get going. I had a great time with you guys," she said loud enough for everyone to hear.

After saying their goodbyes to Mae and finishing with the cleaning, they collectively decided to go to bed.

"I call dibs on Beca's bed," Amy said first.

"No one is sleeping in my bed," Beca announced. "You brought your sleeping bags and there's the couch. I am not sharing my bed."

"I didn't bring a sleeping bag," Chloe grimaced. "Oops, I guess that means we're sharing," she shrugged.

Beca ended up sharing her bed with both Fat Amy and Chloe. Flo claimed the couch while Stacie, Cynthia-Rose and Emily slept in sleeping bags.

They could have been sleeping comfortably if they had just booked rooms in hotels like normal people, but they all wanted to spend the night under the same roof like they did back in college.

Beca barely got any sleep, not because of Amy's arm that was on her waist or Chloe that was humming a song in her sleep, but because of what Mae had told her. She hated that she cared so much about Jesse. A bar-tending job wasn't enough to support a child with the ridiculously high cost of living in New York. For him to keeping the child support checks coming he would have to give up on basically everything with his main income coming from working as a bartender.

She spent the night thinking of how she could help him and not seem like she's pitying him then as she her eyes fell on her keyboard on the floor along with her music sheets and notebook she got an idea that she couldn't wait for the morning to come to go see Jesse and tell him about it.

Beca waited until a reasonable hour before she went to the bar to talk to Jesse who she hadn't heard from in more than a month.

Walking in, she saw him standing behind the bar drumming a pen on a piece of paper.

"Morning," he said, glancing up when he heard her come in. "Bec?" he looked up, double checking.

"Good morning, Jesse," she hopped on a stool. "Is that a piece you're working on?" she asked, leaning forward to read.

"No," he chuckled humorlessly. "I'm trying to find ways to save money," he told her.

"Cut the alcohol from your budget," she dryly said, sitting back.

He looked up from the piece of paper and stopped drumming the pen. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I need you for work," she said. "I decided to work with a composer on Mae's studio album and you're the only composer I know."

"Yeah, thanks but I don't think I'm what you're looking for. I'm more of none-lyrical kind of a composer in case you haven't noticed," he resumed drumming the pen.

"And, I don't have the time nor the will to work on creating music."

"Well, I don't need you to work with me per se..." she trailed off when he frowned.

"You lost me there."

"You have written a lot of pieces that are just laying in your apartment. I want to buy them."

"You gonna take my scores and slap some lyrics on them? Beca, it doesn't work that way."

"Leave that part for me," she rested her arms on the counter. "I know exactly what I want to do with your work. What do you say, 77 bucks per piece and you get composer credit which means you will get money later?"

"How many are you buying?" he rested his hands on the counter.

"How many do you have for sale?" she asked back.

"I'd say more than a 100," he shrugged. "You can come after work to my place and hand pick them."

"How about we discuss a freelance contract first?"

"Okay," he agreed. "Wanna a cup of coffee?" he asked. "I just made it," he added.

"Sure," she shrugged.

AN: I should have waited until I could bring myself to proofread but I don't think that's gonna happen soon. If you notice a typo then I'm sorry and will eventually come around to re-reading and correcting shitty grammar and typos.

I hope you enjoy reading this. I'd like to hear thoughts.

Stay awes.

Peace out.