A/N: Hello! So here is the next chapter. I think 2 flashbacks a chapter seems to be happeneing a lot. Three guesses how many are in this one. Originally this was a seriously ridiculously long A/N. It basically babbled about my obssession with this site and the fanfiction story 'Falling for You' and about my university aspirations. In short I got to interview stage at Oxford and have accepted York and need AAB to study Maths. I only mention it incase it comes up later and so you know why I may not update as often as I have to focus on my school work. Song suggestions are welcome. That song will come up, it's just it will come up in the evening and we aren't there yet. Let me know what you think and I hope you enjoy it. You are released to read the story now (Te-he)

Disclaimer: I do not own Pitch Perfect or the characters etc.

So on with the next chapter...

Chapter 15

They all decided to wait an hour before panicking about the missing party. They had had the hardest route to travel after all. It was entirely possible that they had simply found it slower travelling and therefore running late. This however left the 40 remaining people very bored not to mention anxious for the return of the others. It was this feeling that got them looking for a distraction. One they found in wondering how the war started. Who set it off? When it started? All of which the answers Beca knew and wanted to avoid for as long as possible, and it appeared her friends were going to let her this time. Just when she thought she had gotten away with it Jason spoke up.

"Hey, Beca! Wasn't it you who started the war?" He shouted over to her for everyone to here. Now she really hated him. Why had she told him again? She groaned.

"Well it was going to come up at some point." Jesse whispered in her ear, his amusement at the situation quite clear. She elbowed him in the ribs "Ouch. I'm gonna be covered in bruises if you continue this way."

"Hey, you deserve it. This is not funny." She protested. He continued to laugh. "I can't tell them until I've explained it to you and my friends."

"So I'm not counted in your friends?" he questioned innocently.

"No Jesse, you get a category entirely to yourself. As if you don't already think you're special."

"Hey! I'm insulted at the insinuation."

"If you weren't trying so hard not to laugh I might believe you."

"They're waiting for an answer you know."

"I know." She turned away from Jesse towards the crowd of people watching her. "Yes. I did start the war." She turned and pointed to Jesse. "And he helped." She added before ducking behind him to avoid the questions and accusations that were now being hurled at her.

Third Year at Barden

Jesse wasn't a violent person. That was why he had refused to hit that Tonehanger when he had asked him to. Then she had hit the guy instead. Jesse hated violence. Still, that didn't stop him slamming his first against the wall when he got back to his room. He stood there. His left fist stayed on the wall his head also resting on the wall. In his right hand he held a screwed up note from the Bella's latest prank. The war was taking its toll. He knew the pranks were never jokes. They were always meant to hurt but they were never dangerous. Not until today that was; when the Bellas crossed the line. It was lucky the Trebles had got up and got into the room when they did before the fire escaped its container and burned more than just a few documents. Another few minutes and someone could have been hurt. As had become the Bella-Treble prank signature there was a note with a red bow on it, signed off at the bottom with 'Love you'. The once sweet words were starting to take a darker undertone; a new meaning. They no longer meant the same thing they used to. They were there to hurt and to taunt. He knew he had started it himself. He knew that getting a spy into the Bellas through Auditions had been low, it changed the war, but so did their prank. It wasn't retaliation either. The Trebles hadn't pulled anything since hood night and the Bellas didn't know about the spy. The Trebles hadn't even responded to the Bellas' stunt at the party. The thing he did know was that this war was going to kill him. He already didn't recognise himself sometimes when he was participating in this war. He knew Benji didn't approve of the war but what scared him was that he didn't even care. Benji's opinion in a strange way had always mattered before. He still loved Beca. Whatever that meant; he wasn't sure anymore. But somehow their love seemed to have turned into some sick obsession with trying to hurt each other. At the end of the day it would only be a case of which one of them was destroyed by the other first and how they would take the other one down with them.

He pushed off the wall, removing his first from the apparently rather thin walls, yet another reason he didn't like to fight; someone usually got hurt. He would fix or cover up the wall later, he really didn't want any more questions. Benji had be constantly asking how he was and if he was okay. Obviously Benji had noticed a change in Jesse's attitude. The biggest change perhaps being that Jesse didn't answer the questions, avoiding them and sometimes point blank ignoring Benji altogether. Jesse hated that he was doing it. He knew how it felt to be pushed away, shut out, but somehow he couldn't stop himself. It went completely against his nature to do it. He had always been open. Then again the whole war was against his nature. He had started the pranks in a way but he hadn't started the war, not really. That honour went to Beca. He may had started the pranks and the increasingly vicious notes but that was just angrily lashing out as revenge for Benji. He couldn't understand what was with the Bellas sudden change in attitude towards the Trebles. Sure they beat the Bellas but it still couldn't be enough to go from riding the bus to finals together to hating all but their boyfriend to breaking up with their boyfriends just like that. Something else must have happened and that had to be from Beca's end. That was perhaps his biggest problem with this war. He didn't understand how or why it had started.

He heard the voice in his head, the one he tried to ignore but was growing increasingly louder ever since they decided on the first prank. 'If they want a war, then a war they shall get.' Even as he ignored it he knew the voice was winning. He hated it but even as he took some deep breaths to calm himself and stopped his pacing, he wasn't sure when he started it, he knew he was about to leave his room and join the others with the plan for the next one. Their retaliation. The Bellas had stepped it up. The pranks so far had been mean but somehow still a little petty. Not anymore. Now it was time to start with the real sabotage. As the thought ran through his head he knew it could only end badly but he wasn't the same person who had serenaded Beca when they first arrived at Barden. This war was already changing him and he didn't like the person he was becoming but it didn't look like he had much other choice. He wondered who he would be by the time he graduated. As he opened the door and exited the room the Trebles looked up at him for direction.

"Okay, we go for their funding. They wanted to step up the war, let's see how high they can go." He was sickened by the words that left his mouth, and the fact that he didn't disapprove of his idea. He saw Benji's appalled look and schooled his face to a blank expression and ignored Benji's protest. He knew he would regret it later but right now Benji's opinion was not on his list of important things. The rest of the Trebles cheered and crowded round him as they began to plot. Benji turned and walked away shaking his head. Jesse refused to allow himself to care.

After a number of minutes the shouting calmed down and Beca came out from her hiding place behind Jesse. It seemed a little childish to hind behind him she knew but she also revelled in the fact that she could actually do that now. That he was here and that they were on good terms for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. However she knew it would be short lasting, after she tells him how the war started, what she said she's not sure he'll ever look at him the same.

"First, the people that deserve the answers to your questions first are the people who were actually there when the war started and second I don't want to repeat the story a third time for those of us who aren't back yet." She spoke calmly and clearly once the noise had stopped. There was more arguing from the group of people before her, mainly with each other before they eventually agreed with her. They all wanted to know but they had to admit that the people who had suddenly had to turn their lives around at the start of the war did deserve to know first. It was no secret that for a year the Bellas and the Trebles were close before one day the war started seemingly out of the blue. Since the war had not torn apart relationships, well not many, but mainly prevented them from forming. Only the occasional relationship had been torn apart when a couple would decide to join the two groups. It was shocking how quickly the two groups managed to tear solid couples apart.

"Alright. We'll give you an hour in the bus to explain it to them then you have to tell us all" Jason spoke up again and everyone seemed to agree with him, even the Bellas shockingly. She wondered not for the first time how so many guys in her life over the past decade had a name beginning with 'J'. She nodded knowing it was the best she was going to get before taking Jesse's hand and leading him followed by her Bellas and Trebles into the bus. There were about 25 of them overall. All the Bellas and Trebles from her first and second year minus Carly. Once they were all sat down Beca took her place in the middle on the back seat as they all turned to face her. Jesse sat closest on the seat in front of her row, close enough for her to reach out to him which no doubt she would at some point in an attempt to get him to understand, to forgive. She took a deep breath before she started.

"As you all know I was in a terrible state after the Bellas lost the finals. It was the straw that broke the camels back if you like; the thing that pushed me over the edge that I was already balancing on. Like I said I was lost. Maybe it was a panic attack looking back, I don't know." She paused for a second to gather her thoughts. She had a limited time before she was expected to have told them and be ready to tell everyone else.

"I remember. I kept trying to talk to you but I just couldn't get through to you. I insisted that we get outside as soon as possible. I hoped the fresh air would snap you out of it." Fat Amy interjected as she recalled the night right after the winner was announced. Beca just nodded before continuing.

"Once we got on the bus everyone was looking at me for answers. I knew I had to tell you about Carly and Jesse and the break up. I was embarrassed. First that he had cheated on me," she grabbed Jesse's hand in an effort to stop him interrupting her before she finished explaining, "that I had fallen so hard when he didn't. Then I was embarrassed when I realised that he hadn't cheated on me but I had let myself believe he had even though deep down I knew he wouldn't. I guess he just seemed too good to be true." His eyes softened slightly and he squeezed her hand a little in encouragement. She let a small smile form before she continued again. "And that I had tried to get revenge against him for what I realised was no reason. I was embarrassed that
it was all my fault. That's why I didn't tell you before. On the bus though I knew I had to tell you. I opened my mouth to tell you all the story, to explain, but something else came out. To this day I have no idea where it came from. I would have sworn someone else said it if I didn't recognise my own voice. I tried to stop but I couldn't. My mind and my mouth just weren't connected. I don't even know where that story came from. It couldn't have been my mind but I knew it was my mouth." She paused again. Trying to calm down her breathing. She could feel herself getting worked up. Jesse had let go of her hand and she ran it through her hair. The Bellas didn't look pleased. They looked angry. The Trebles looked mad too but mainly confused. It was time to tell them what she had said on the bus that night. The symmetry that she was again on a bus while telling them this did not go unnoticed. This next bit was the part she was afraid she would lose Jesse. She could see him tensing up in preparation for the next part. It was never a good sign with him. Before the Bellas could speak up she spoke again.

"I told everyone that the Trebles had set Carly up as a spy. That Jesse had known about it so we broke up and I found out just before the finals performance about Carly so I didn't get the chance to tell people and then she left before I could kick her out." She watched Jesse's face as it clouded over slightly. He wasn't as easy to read as he once had been but she could recognise that he was not happy. "I said that the Trebles had been spying on the Bellas all year. That Carly was enlisted at auditions. That the Trebles had been using us to get information, that the song at semi finals was their plan not a coincidence. I told them that when Jesse walked away he was picking the Trebles and they were going to continue spying so that was why we couldn't get back together." She was practically crying by this point. Her voice almost breaking as she recalled the horrible things she said and watched their faces as they heard and recognised her lie, how Jesse seemed to shut down, cut her off right in front of her eyes. "I don't know why I did it. Please, you have to believe me. I didn't want to say that stuff. I never wanted to blame you." She was begging Jesse now.

"I don't know what to say Beca. I don't know what you want me to say." He sounded tired, his tone almost devoid of any emotion. She felt her heart breaking again. She didn't know how many times it could break before it turned too dust but she figured she was reaching the limit. She wondered when Jesse became like this. Able to shut off from people like she had done back then. He had always seemed so full of life, never hiding how he felt, not really, but now he seemed different and she found herself questioning when it had happened and whether it was her fault. She thought back to see if she could drew it from her memory. Perhaps she noticed it after the Bellas had pulled that prank. The one that had changed everything.

Third Year at Barden

Beca sat in her room in the Bella house that morning. She was starting to wonder if perhaps the prank was going a bit too far. It hadn't seemed dangerous at the time but now an hour later she was beginning to think again. She had been tempted to wake someone up so it didn't have the chance to escalate. She hadn't done it and now she was starting to worry. Setting fire to all the Trebles' important documents had seemed like a good idea to start with. They had put it in a bin but the fire had been a bit wild and someone had suggested they liven it up a little with some alcohol. Looking back it was a very stupid idea and she was pretty sure that in their haste they had spilt some. She prayed it didn't spread. She had left a note again as was customary. As always signed off with 'Love you' She wasn't sure she could cope without those two little words being on the notes. Part of her wondered if that was why she kept going and pushing these pranks; to say it to him or to hear it from him. She needed those words on the paper. As long as they were there then he still loved her, she could still breathe. As selfish as it sounded she knew she was still on his mind, in his heart. She needed it. That was what the notes meant.

The war was a way for them to communicate. So they didn't lose and forget each other. So he didn't forget her. Even though they were broken up her world still seemed to revolve around him; even more so now it seemed. She hated the feeling but she couldn't change it, wouldn't. The alternative was unbearable. The war now seemed like a blessing in disguise. It was an accident in the beginning but that didn't matter anymore. It was her only link to him. She needed it. Still she knew the others wouldn't understand.

Beca remembered how she hadn't seen Jesse since finals. On the odd occasion she caught a glimpse of him though he had seemed different. She hadn't noticed much at the time but now it stood out. It suddenly made sense. It had been the war. It was her fault. The others in the bus seemed to sense the atmosphere between Beca and Jesse and got up to leave.

"Don't think we're done. We still need to talk but I don't think your head is it the right place to listen right now." Stacie spoke for them all as they exited the bus leaving her and Jesse alone on the bus. She turned to face Jesse again, barely registering the others leaving.

"What can I say Jesse? How can I make it better?" She pleaded.

"I don't know Beca. We fought this whole war for two years and it was all because of this lie you spin blaming me for all our problems. Blaming the Trebles for all your problems. You ruined people's lives."

"I know. And I can't ever take what I did and what I said back." She said through her tears. He flinched at her voice. He had not seen her cry before this week. It had allowed him to stay mad at her. Thinking that nothing could get through to her. That no matter what he did or said it never effected her. Now he knew it was different. Now she let her emotions show. Now he saw how much he effected her. How it all effected her.

"Why did you do it?" He asked, a little emotion back in his voice, his eyes softening slightly for her.

"I don't know. I've spent years trying to figure it out. I've come up blank. I still don't know how that came out of my mouth. I never ever thought those things. They never crossed my mind but somehow they came out my mouth. I wasn't lying when I said I only knew I said those words because I recognised my voice."

"I believe you Beca, You haven't lied to me before."

"Apart from when I was mad at you after Carly. I lied when I said I didn't love you."

"I knew that was a lie even when you said it."

"Have you always been able to read my mind?" Her voice was light now, almost a whisper, like she was asking herself as much as him.

"Pretty much." He answered. His voice more recognisable to her now.

"It's all my fault we're here now isn't it?" she asked her voice wavering again. He put his hand over hers. She looked up at him. Her gaze had been on the floor for the last few minutes. Looking into her eyes his control was lost. He pulled her into a hug. She clung onto him letting her tears go again. She hated being this vulnerable but letting people see it particularly Jesse was important. She knew now that all bottling up her feeling did was push away and lose the ones she cared about, the ones she loved.

Once she stopped shaking he released her a little and she sat up. She was now sat on the seat next to him. She looked up at him and he wiped her tears away.

"It may take some time, I'm not over it but I don't want to fight any more. We moved past that. I guess I've been a little closed off this time. Now I'm the one who needs to open up."

"I'm sorry. I know it was the war."

"It was so long ago now. How about we look to the future, try to move past it? After we have sorted out this war that is." He added the last part with in the teasing tone she was used to, although she knew he was serious.

"I'd like that." She said as she leaned into him and he put an arm around her.

"I guess it's time to face the music then." He said as he helped her up and they left the bus.

As they stepped out of the bus they did not expect what they found. Instead of finding 60 people waiting for her to explain she found 40 people talking heatedly. No one seemed happy but they didn't appear to be fighting against each other.

"What's going on?" She asked as she reached her friends.

"It's the other group. It's been 2 hours since they were supposed to get back and there's still no sign of them." Aubrey filled her in, her voice full of worry. Beca and Jesse looked at each other. Now they really were in trouble.

Okay, about the story. So you saw how Jesse is taking the war. I was asked a very interseting question in my last review, one that I honestly hadn't thought of but it is a good question. I know he hasn't said it but this chapter gives a bit of an idea where his head is at. I probably won't do another one from him unless you guys ask for it. Or unless it suddenly seems necessary(I never know how to spell that word) again. The timeline in the 'present' (Technically it's the future to us because it's set 10 years after the film which was set last year) doesn't seem to be getting very far very fast right now. I wonder how many chapters I can stretch this day into. You also see how Beca is taking the war and how ther differ. On a side note I'm not sure why every guy in her life's name starts with a J it is pure coincidence that when I try to think of a males name that doesn't remind me of some one (You always have to be careful with names. Almost everyone is associated with a family member or someone you go/went to school with, it's strange really) it turns out to start with that letter. Maybe someone is telling me to tell her something. It really is fate and not some author. (te-he) Another random note but I found the extended radio station scene. It popped up in so many stories I figured there had to be some deleted scene and I found it. I don't have it on DVD yet as it isn't out in this country yet so I had to find it on youtube. I love deleted scenes. Anyway, I love that scene.(I'm one of those people who tends to skip through and watches the bits with her favourite characters in over and over again. I normally watch the whole film with this though.) It(the film) must be approaching Top Gun numbers now though. When I first got Top Gun on DVD I watched it repeatedly for days. The moment it finished I put it on went out to a party and I spent the whole time playing the film in my head I knew it that well. I don't quite do that with Pitch Perfect but I am still watching it fairly regularly and have been for over a month now. I can't believe I have been writing this story for about a month. Right, I will leave it here now and stop my babbling. Let me know what you think. I don't get many reviews but I love them and respond to them. Song suggestions are welcome. I hope you enjoyed it. See you in the next chapter. (I feel like I have forgotten something. Oh well if I have I will no doubt babble about it next chapter. P.S. I can't type tonight so that's the reason for any mistakes.) (*smiles and waves*)