"Sorry, I'm late," Beca said as she took a seat.

"It's fine," Jesse put his phone aside. "I didn't even notice."

"Angry birds, nice," she said, glancing at his phone.

"It's a good game," Jesse shrugged, watching Beca place a folder on the table.

"I got here late because mom forgot to e-mail me the contract," she pushed it his way. Beca had her mother work on the contract to gain some time. Having an attorney for a parent had it perks.

"Everything we talked about is in it. — I did make one change," she paused. "Mom pointed out that, and I quote, 'making all scores have the same price is stupid. Charging per page is what you got to do.' She forgot to tell me that she changed that part in the contract until I called her this morning to see why she hasn't e-mailed it yet. Read it and you don't have to sign it right away," she told him when he opened the folder.

"It's fine. I know you won't trick me into anything," he grabbed a pen and signed the contract then pushed it her way.

"Pleasure doing business with you," he grabbed his phone got up.

"Where are you going?" she asked. "I didn't make a reservation here to eat by myself."

"I'm not hungry."

"Jesse just sit down, please," she frowned at his attitude. "If it's about the bill—"

"—I can afford to pay for lunch," he said slightly defensive.

"—it's on me 'cause I arranged this work lunch," she finished her phrase. If he was trying to get on her nerves, it was working. "Dude, if you can't stand being in the same place as me you can go ahead and leave, I won't make you stay against your will."

"I'm sorry," he apologized and sat down while rubbing his forehead. "I didn't mean to come off rude." He stuffed his hands inside his pockets and leaned against his chair.

"What's wrong, Jesse?" she asked. He didn't look at her so she figured she'd apologize for the night she yelled at him. "For what it is worth," she paused, playing with the napkin. "I wanna apologize for yelling at you. I thought about it and, as much as I hate admit it, I'd probably lose my shit if I saw you with kiss someone in front of me," she shrugged, eyes still on the napkin she was playing with. She felt his gaze and didn't have the guts to look up.

"I know I hurt you that night and it's been eating me up to see you pretend like you're fine being in the same place as me because of work," he let out a heavy sigh. "Let's order shall we?" he asked, grabbing the menu. "Yeah, I think I'm gonna get water," he mumbled after a beat.

"It's my treat, order whatever you want, Jess," Beca grabbed the other menu.

"It's not that," he scratched his beard. "I wanna get pasta but I will embarrass myself if I say any of these out loud," he said as he read some of the Italian dishes.

Beca glanced up when he put the menu down.

"I'll take whatever you gonna order," he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I'm feeling some Ziti with chicken, broccoli in an alfredo sauce."

"Sounds good to me," he shrugged.

"So, explain to me, what are going to do exactly?" he asked when the waiter placed down their order.

"I'm gonna work around your scores to create new tracks that I can make lyrical songs with. Having source martial will help me gain some time," she briefly explained.

"Isn't it risky to do that?" he asked.

"It is: I've never done this before," she played with her food, "but I think I could make it work," she confidently said.

"I'd wish you good luck but I know you don't need it," he smiled at her and watched her chuckle softly and shake her head before looking up to meet his gaze.

"You know," she paused, "this is second time you and I have had lunch at a restaurant?"

"First time was when I asked you out on a lunch-not-date to go over your list of rules."

"We broke most of those rules," she couldn't keep the smile off of her face as she thought of the said rooming up rules.

"And this time it's a work lunch," he said to which she nodded.

"We dated for a month and I never took you out to a decent restaurant," he said in realization. "I was a really shitty boyfriend."

"We had different schedules," she shrugged.

"Yeah," he sighed. "When do you wanna drop by my place to take the scores?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Tomorrow is Saturday," she paused, "10 am?"

"10 am is good," he nodded then looked behind Beca. "Uh-oh."

"What are you looking at?" she asked tilting her head.

"That dude wearing a beanie," he paused.

"Yeah?"

"He's gonna propose. Look at his hand, it's under the table, he's holding a box."

"They look really young," Beca said eyeing the couple.

"Someone should go stop him—too late."

"Shut up," Beca told him as she watched the guy that looked like he's still in college get down on one knee.

"Idiot," Jesse dryly said.

"They look happy," Beca glanced at Jesse for a second before continuing to watch the guy pour his heart out to his girlfriend who was in tears.

"You think they even know how hard it is to be married?" he asked. "I wish someone would have told me," he added when she looked back ahead of her when the girl said yes and everyone cheered then moved on.

"They're young and stupid," she shrugged. "But if they're right for each other they'll figure it out," she grabbed her fork and went back to eating.

"Deep," he grabbed his glass of water and took a sip.

"Excuse me, I have to answer this," Beca told Jesse when she held up her phone when it rang.

"Go for it," he said.

"Hello, yeah," she paused listening to the other person. "I sent you an e-mail explaining the date change like two days after you agreed," she rubbed her forehead in irritation. "What do you mean you spammed it by mistake?" she cut herself off, realizing that she was going to start yelling. "So, you're dropping out?" she asked. "Yeah, okay. Bye," she hung up the phone and tossed it on the table, huffing.

"Is everything okay?" Jesse cautiously asked.

"I have this music video to shoot and the director just dropped out," she told him, resting her elbows on the table and holding her head.

"Oh, Mae told me about this," he nodded recalling. "Organized nerd singers getting back together," he said in amusement.

"Jesse, I'd appreciate it if you didn't make fun of me 'cause I'm really pissed off right now. The shooting in a week and I don't have a director."

"Sorry," he apologized and frowned when Beca looked up and had a weird look on her face.

"What?" he arched an eyebrow.

"You minored in film-making, right?" she asked.

"Yeah," he nodded. "No," he shook his head when figured why she asked.

"Jesse, I have so much work and I really can't spend time looking for a director that wouldn't charge a lot."

"I haven't directed anything apart from some school projects. I have no actual experience."

"Do I look like I know what I'm doing? Because I really don't," she shrugged. "I'm winging it," she told him, repeating what he once told her in a fight about how she winged everything she did. "But somehow I managed to run a department without having any experience."

"Okay, I was mad when I said that you wing everything and I was going to apologize—"

"Sh-sh-sh, I'm talking business now," she paused. "Jesse, I need you to level with me."

Jesse nodded.

"I don't care if you don't know what you're doing. I know that you will try to do a good job and that is enough for me. We already worked up the concept and everything I just need you to call the shots and direct."

A beat passed as Jesse thought about what she was offering him. She looked really desperate and she was desperate since she was asking an inexperienced loser to direct a music video for her.

"Okay," he nodded. "I'll do it."

"Thanks, Jesse," she sighed a sigh of relief. "You really saved me a lot of time," she rested her hands on the table.

"You did too," he replied then added, "thanks to this gig and the scores thingy I won't have to work extra hours nor worry about next month's child support check."

"You still haven't told me why you quit teaching," she told him as she brought a forkful of pasta to her mouth.

"That's because I didn't quit," he ran his fingers through his hair. "I got fired."

"You got what?" she stopped chewing.

"They let me go."

"Why? What did you do?" she questioned.

"I punched a teacher."

"What did he do?" she arched an eyebrow.

"He's a disgusting piece of human trash: he wanted me to help him get a couple underage girls into the bar then take advantage of them."

"And, you're the one that got fired?" she questioned in disbelief.

"Well, he denied it and claimed that I'm the creep. Add that to the fact that smelled like alcohol 'cause I didn't shower that day and how I've been acting 'different'," he used air quotation. "They kicked me out of there."

"They can't do that," she reached for her phone. "I'm gonna call Gordon and get you your job back," she unlocked the screen.

"Please, don't," he reached for her hand and put his over hers.

"Jesse, I got the job for you I can get it back," she said, eyeing his hand.

"You got me the job and I'm very thankful you did," he squeezed her free hand. "But I will not go back there because my ex-girlfriend pulled some strings. Please, don't make me that guy," he held her gaze until she nodded.

"Okay, I won't."

"Thank you," he withdrew his hand then looked at the time.

"You got somewhere to be?" Beca asked.

"I'm seeing Sam," he informed her.

"Okay, lemme get the check," she put her phone down and looked around for the waiter before making a signature sign when he met her gaze.

"How is that little peanut?" she asked.

"Not so little anymore."

"Sandra?"

"She's fine," he replied after a beat as he looked away from her.

Beca nodded and decided not to ask anything else regarding his ex-wife seeing how uncomfortable he got. She wanted to do something about his guilt but she knew that he wouldn't let her which was frustrating.

She paid for lunch and they started to make their way to the subway station.

"What kind of person choses to wear a jacket on a day like this?" Beca asked, watching Jesse blow in his palms before rubbing them together as they waited in the subway station.

"I'm not cold," he told her.

"You're cold," she disagreed. "I'm wearing a coat and I'm still cold."

"Maybe consider wearing like a sweater instead of a v neck?" his eyes fell on her chest.

"I have a meeting later and I want to seal the deal," she buttoned her coat.

"How does showing cleavage help seal deals?" he asked.

"It doesn't per se," she shrugged. "But when the dude looks down at my chest I get to play the I'm-getting-objectified-and-not-taken-seriously-because-I'm-a-woman card. He denies it and lets me have it my way."

"So you manipulated people into doing what you want?"

"No," she shook her head, "I get things done."

"Were you planning on using this card on me?" he asked.

"You're good at not getting caught staring," she winked at him. "It wouldn't have worked."

"You suck at not getting caught," he told her.

"That's because I don't care anymore," she shrugged. "That's you," she nodded at the subway.

"Yep," he tilted his head.

"I'll see you tomorrow, I guess?" Beca said.

"10 am," he extended his arm and pulled her into a hug. "I know it was a work lunch but I want you to know that I enjoyed it," he told her. She looked up when he was going to pull away and kissed him.

"Shit, I'm sorry," she stepped away from him and closed her eyes. "Or you know what?" she looked at him. "I'm not sorry. I'm still attracted to you, a lot. It's annoying, actually, because you look like shit most of the time."

"I'm not asking you to apologize. It's fine. We all slip sometimes," he gave her a weak smile and turned on his heels.

"I don't care that you think I deserve better," she said watching him walk away. "I know this must sound pathetic but I really want you back, Jesse," she said, bracing herself for the worse.

"You want to be with an alcoholic unemployed asshole who because of him his baby died?" he asked, admitting for the first time to himself that he truly had a drinking problem, before he turned around to face her.

"You're not unemployed, you're working at a bar," she corrected him.

"That's what you picked?" he chuckled humorlessly.

"I can't do it. I—I can't stop loving you," she admitted. "I'm sorry I turned my back on you instead of explaining why I was running away from you. I hate goodbyes and I didn't want to say goodbye to you again. It scares me to think of how broken I will inevitable be once I leave, which is why I figured breaking it off will make it easier. And, it didn't. It sucks. I want you back drunk and broken. I don't care. I want you back and you can't decided for me because I'm a fucking adult and I can make my own decisions," she sniffed, not sure it was because of the weather or because she was getting emotional.

She ready to get turned down. She had a lot of things to worry about and had had enough of ignoring the pain in her chest. Rejection sucked but she was willing to swallow her pride and ask for a second chance.

"You have a really bad sense of judgement, Bec," he cleared his throat and walked back to her. "It's all those pot brownies you keep eating, they fucked up your nervous system," he said as he stood in front of her.

"Jesse—" He cut her off with a tender kiss.

Pulling away, he stroked her cheek. She was so prepared for rejection that she couldn't believe what he did.

"Now what?" he asked.

"Now, you go see your daughter," she leaned up and kissed him and grinned when he didn't let her pull away by cupping her face.

He missed the subway but it was worth it. Breaking the kiss, he wrapped her in his arms and hugged her tightly. He tried to let her go but it was working. It just made him miserable. He still thought she could do better. She deserved better. But if being apart was hurting her so much, he wasn't going to keep pushing her away. Letting her go was way harder than he thought.

"This is real, right?" he asked. She nodded into his chest, tightly wrapping her arms around his waist. Hearing a subway, Jesse tilted his head to see its number. "Bec, it's number 4," he told her as he looked at the subway. She took a moment then removed herself from his hold.

"Thanks for taking me back," she looked around them. "It would have been humiliating if you didn't," she said, meeting his gaze.

Jesse chuckled in spite of himself and leaned in placing a kiss on her cheek then he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Would you run away if I start singing?" he playfully asked, knowing that she had to leave but didn't want to.

"Bye," she started to make her way to the subway.

The next day.

Jesse set the alarm clock and didn't hear it. He woke up hearing the doorbell. "Shit," he mumbled, getting up to answer the door. "Yeah?" he said pressing the button to speak to the person who rang the bell.

"It's me."

He smiled hearing Beca's voice and buzzed her in then took a look around his apartment. He set the alarm on 7:30 am to get up and clean up the place.

"Shit," he ran his fingers through his hair then walked to the coffee table and grabbed as many empty liquor bottles he could hold and tossed them in the trashcan.

He paced to the front door when she knocked and unlocked it.

"Morning," he stepped back and let her in.

"Did I wake you up?" she asked, taking in his apparence.

"Yeah," he nodded, "I didn't hear my alarm clock when it went off," he pulled her into a brief hug. "I haven't brushed my teeth yet," he placed a kiss on her temple.

"I don't care," she cupped his face and kissed him then frowned at the strong taste and smell of whiskey. "When did you go to bed?" she asked.

"Late," he answered vaguely because he didn't know when he fell asleep. "Um, why don't you start on the scores while I go have a shower?" he asked taking her hand.

"Okay," she nodded and let him lead her to his bedroom.

"Where's Bender?" she asked as she looked around.

"He's sleeping," he told her. She saw the dog that was in deep slumber on the bed.

"He's adorable," she smiled eyeing the dog.

"Yep," Jesse squeezed her hand. "There's that pile over there," he nodded at a pile on the floor.

She nodded and let go of his hand. She unbuttoned her coat and put it on the bed while he went to the bathroom to shower. Beca sat down on the floor and grabbed the music sheets and started reading them and humming them to herself. She looked up when Bender woke up.

"Hey buddy," she grinned when he jumped off of the bed and started barking.

"C'mere boy," she tapped the floor. He ran up to her and let her pet him. She gave up on reading and put the sheets aside to give Bender her full attention.

Bender bailed the moment Jesse stepped out of the bathroom.

"Look who's up," Jesse grinned, looking at his dog while towel drying his hair.

Beca frowned eyeing Jesse. He lost more weight than she thought.

"C'mon, let's get some food in before you do it yourself," he said to Bender and started making his way out of the bedroom and came back less than a minute later. Beca busied herself with the music sheets so that she wouldn't awkwardly watch Jesse get dressed and looked up when he sat down next to her.

"Found anything you like?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded. "You're really good at making scores," she told him.

"Thanks," he smiled at her.

"I'm taking them all," she told him.

"You gonna use them all?" he asked.

"Nope. But I'm buying them all."

"Beca, if this is you doing charity—"

"—these are good. I wanna buy them to use them for future projects," she interrupted him and grabbed another sheet to read.

"Aren't you gonna go eat something?" she asked him.

"Nope," he scratched the back of his neck.

"Right, you're hungover," she nodded.

"Please, don't," he sighed.

"If you have eggs make some scrambled eggs they help," she said after a beat.

"I'm out of grocery," he informed. "Wanna tag along when I go buy some later?" he asked her.

"Yeah," she shrugged.

"I thought you'd drop by at work, last night," he scouted closer to her.

"I was gonna but then I remembered that I slept for exactly 3 hours so went home to catch some sleep."

"You don't look like you slept well last night," he said, watching her yawn.

"That's because I didn't," she sighed. "My neighbor had a party last night at his place."

Jesse watched her for a few seconds then got up. "You can read those later," he told her and extended his hand.

"Where are we going?" she asked, taking his hand and standing up.

"You gonna catch some much needed sleep," he told her as walked them to his bed.

"You serious?" she arched her eyebrows.

"Yeah," he shrugged and climbed on the bed. "Take off your shoes."

Beca kicked off her shoes and got on the bed. "C'mere," he grinned at her extending his arms, inviting her into his embrace.

She hummed snuggling up to him when he wrapped her in his arms. "You smell nice," he rested his cheek on her head.

"You too," she told him, resting her hand on his torso.

"I'm so happy you're here," he tightened his hold and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"I'm happy you let me be here," she replied, leaning up to kiss him. He smiled and kissed her tenderly while stroking her hair.

He was reluctant and she felt it when she cupped his cheek and brought him closer. She wanted more than making out because what were they? teenagers scared of getting caught by her dad?

"Jesse, what's wrong?" she asked finally pulling away when he wouldn't even grab her boob.

"Nothing," he put on very weak smile.

"We both know that's not true," she stroked his cheek then leaned up and placed a kiss on his lips.

"No, really," he insisted.

"Yeah?" she wrapped her arms around his neck. He nodded. She knew he was lying and decided to make him admit. She pulled him into a deep kiss while running her fingers though his hair then pressed herself against him and threw her leg over his.

"Okay, stop," he mumbled, pulling away. He sighed and rubbed his eyes when Beca removed her arms from around his shoulders.

"Jesse, you can tell me," she sat up.

"I don't wanna have sex with you just yet," he told her.

"It can't be physical—"

"—Yeah, no, I'm fine," he cleared his throat. "Um, how do I put this?" he paused. "I wanna learn how to keep it in my pants," he told her. "I want nothing more than to be with you but at the same time I know that part of me will try to push you away again the minute we do have sex. You're too good to be with someone like me, Bec." He buried his face in his hands.

"It's okay," she put her hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze. "I can wait," she shrugged. "We can hold hands and kiss when no one is looking like 15 year olds," she got on her knees and placed a kiss on the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry," he placed a hand over hers.

"It's okay," she rested her chin on his shoulder. "I'm not in this for sex."

Of course, she'd very much like to fuck his brains out. But she understood where he was coming from and will wait for as long as it takes for him to trust himself to not rail then bail.

"Let's go grocery shopping," she straightened up.

"But what about sleeping?" he asked.

"Too late for that," she sat on the bed and grabbed her shoes. "I had black coffee this morning."

He nodded and got up, looking for his sneakers to wear.

"Amy told me about this smoothie that actually helped with my hangover once," she told him as she wore her coat. "I'll make it for you," she watched him throw a jacket over his t-shirt.

"Dude, you want to get sick?" she asked.

"What?"

"It's cold outside. Really cold."

"I'll be fine," he assured her. "Stop looking at me like that," he chuckled, feeling like his old self. "What do you want me to wear?" he asked.

"Beach shorts— what kind of question is that, Jesse?" she rolled her eyes.

He missed her eye roll and seeing her roll her eyes at him warmed his heart. He walked to her and held her up. "I forgot how unbelievably cute you become when you're annoyed."

"I'm gonna let you off this time 'cause I like your smile," she cupped his face and leaned down to kiss him. She hated being called cute and he usually found ways to tell her that she is just to annoy her.

AN: What did you guys think of the new turn of events? Any idea what will happen next?

Thank you for reading. Reviews are nice to reads: they're a sort of a validation and let me know if what I'm doing is okay.