A/N: Sorry for the wait! I'm so incredibly sorry it took me so long to get this up, life just wasn't on my side with this. I can't make any promises on updates unfortunately because I move into Uni tomorrow so I don't know what kind of time I will have which is why I'm putting this up tonight. For anyone that cares I got into York. Yay! So the plan is for their to be 35 chapters so we are slowly starting to wind it up. And everyone's most annoying/hateful character is back! If you can work out or remember who that is, if you can't I'm sure you'll soon be reminded. Thank you to those you who are still reading it after the wait, and to anybody who has managed to make it to this chapter. So I hope you enjoy it, let me know what you think and I'll see you at the bottom.

So on with the next chapter...

Chapter 30

Once again Beca woke up to find herself settled against Jesse's side, her head laid on his chest. It took her a second to remember how, where and when she was. It was still a new feeling to be able to just settle back down and relax again after 9 years without him. Still she relished in it all the same. She watched his face while he slept. She knew how cliché it seemed, to think he looked so peaceful in sleep, happy in a way she hadn't seen since they had broken up, not to say he hadn't been happy since, just that she hadn't seen it. It took her a while to register that a pair of eyes were looking back at her. At his chuckle she came out of her musings and batted his shoulder playfully for laughing at her.

"How'd you sleep?" She asked when her eyes returned to his and he had stopped laughing.

"Seriously, that's what you're gonna go with?"

"Because I slept great." He continued without acknowledgment; a smile creeping across his face. It was her turn to laugh, he was just being to incredibly Jesse and she had missed it. Even though she had seen him all week he had been different, she hated that she was the reason for the change.

"I bet you did, and yes I slept pretty well too." She decided to play along, because it was easier more than anything. As perky and happy as Jesse was in general as a person one thing he didn't like to do was get out of bed in a morning, or rather; let out of bed in a morning." "Now come on, we have to get up." She tried to sound upbeat and still authoritative. When he didn't respond she started to try and get out of bed, only to discover he had successfully trapped her between the wall and himself and that his arms were locked around her and while they weren't tight they also weren't going to move and neither was she. "Jesse, you have to let me out. We have to get up." there was silence "We have to get ready for the competition." She pauses "And get breakfast." She was finally rewarded with a groan. She tried to wriggle out of his embrace only to find herself being rolled underneath him so she couldn't move. His face suddenly turned serious and she got ready to protest that they don't have time as she felt his hands move up her sides and then suddenly he started to tickle her. She wiggled about screaming a little, because it is a little known fact that Beca Mitchell is ticklish and Jesse just happens to know how to take advantage.

She wanted to be mad at him for it but she could only smile between laughs and shouts because it's so innocent and carefree in a way they just haven't been for years.

"Okay, okay. Stop!" she half begged as she stopped trying to escape. He ceased his tickling and looked her in the eye again.

"We really do need to get up through." She told him seriously a small sigh finally making its way out at the end because truthfully she didn't really want to get up either.

"On three?" he asked and she nodded before they both counted to three and rolled out of bed. However Jesse actually rolled and didn't let go of Beca so they ended up crashing in a pile on the floor.

"Ouch!" she grumbled before she grabbed the hand that presented itself to her and pulled herself up to find that it belonged to Jesse who had miraculously managed to stand up before her. "Always a gentleman." She teased before she began scouting around for some clothes and cursing herself for not thinking of that as an excuse to go back to her room last night.

She started to gather her clothes when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and pick her up, she squealed slightly as an automatic reflex, as she carried her in front of him into the bathroom. She should have known going to breakfast wouldn't be that simple.

Fourth Year at Barden

Beca was woken up by a noise. It had been a couple of weeks since finals where they had lost to the Trebles, and Beca had her epiphany, and since then they had all been focused on studying for their final exams, some of them for their last time. Quite a few of the Bellas had their final exams the next morning so they had all gone to bed early to get a good night's sleep.

Beca looked around trying to find out what time it was and why she had awoken while it was still dark. When she eventually found her alarm clock she discovered it was 2 am. She looked around and listened to see what woke her up. After a second she registered a noise that seemed to be increasing in volume and after another few seconds she recognised it to be music and voices. She heard several doors bang open and shouting from the other Bellas before her own door was opened and in stormed her Bellas.

"It's a party! They set up a party!" Natalie exclaimed. Beca groaned and rubbed her hands over her face and into her hair before she stood up and slipped a dressing gown on then headed out the door to confront , and send packing, the party.

She arrived in the common room area to find party food, drink and music and a lot of people but not a Treble in sight. She scanned the room again; it must have taken a long time to set this up, her eyes landed on the music player. She marched up to it and switched off the music. Everyone stopped and started at her before the other Bellas started to clear them out.

About 15 minutes later they all collapsed on the sofas. None of them looked happy although on second glance Beca noticed Rachel smirking.

"Why are you so happy?" She couldn't help the slight accusatory tone.

"I was just thinking about their wake up calling in a couple of hours." She continued smirking.

"What are you talking about?" Fat Amy asked still a little groggily.

"Oh, you'll see." She singsonged as she headed back to bed. They all shared a confused look before shrugging and heading back to their beds too.

They were all woken by Rachel at 5:30 and rushed out to look across at the Treble house in time to see a group of trumpeters entering the Treble house, moments later the sound of a fanfare started followed by the Trebles' shouts. All the Bellas laughed as they heard one of the Trebles shout 'Bellas!' Beca shook her head slightly before she headed back to bed for a couple more hours of sleep. It was then that it hit her; there was no note. She felt a flutter in her heart though she couldn't quite decide whether it was sorrow or joy.

By the time Beca and Jesse, who insisted she not leave his sight all morning so she had to wait for him to dress so they could they could both go over to her room for her to get dressed, got to breakfast it was almost over and everybody was leaving. Beca glared at Jesse for delaying them so, though as annoying as it had been she couldn't really bring herself so feel mad.

"So, what's today's conversation/argument topic?" He asked jokingly though she knew he actually wanted an answer.

"The fire." She winced when she said it, as she sat down with her breakfast, Jesse taking a seat beside her.

"The fire." He echoed with the same solemn tone.

"It wasn't my idea." She hurried to inform him, she could see his face cloud over a little at the mention of the most dangerous prank of the war. She knew her own expression probably mirrored his.

"Good."

"But I didn't stop it."

"I know. Could you have?"

"I don't know. I never tried."

"Why?"

"I tried to keep out the pranks towards the end. I don't know why I didn't draw the line. I should have. It was supposed to be empty. I don't even know who set it. I was at the back, only there because I had the pitch pipe so I had to be."

"Well, you did help fix it."

"It's not enough." Her guilt over that night revealing itself.

"It's all you could do. Do you think you could have stopped it if you tried rally? And even if you had, do you really think there wouldn't have been another one that was just if not more dangerous? IAt least no one was really seriously injured and it stopped anything like that or worse from ever happening again." He assured her.

"I guess."

"Beca. I forgive you." He looked almost surprised by his own words for a moment before he let a smile slide onto his face. Her eyes locked onto his, taking in the magnitude of that statement. It was something she had hoped she would get but was certain she would never receive: his forgiveness. She could see he meant for everything. The break up, the war, the lies, the fight. Still she knew graduation was a separate subject all by itself and one that was yet to be broached. All the same she felt a weight being lifted. In a rare and uncharacteristic act she suddenly moved across and hugged him. She couldn't hold in a smile as she felt him wrap his arms around her tightly and smile as he placed a kiss in her hair.

"Thank you." She said simply.

"How about we get moving for practise before Aubrey had our heads." He suggested in a gentle voice. She nodded and released him then quickly grabbed her tray and headed over to leave it by the sink, all the while avoiding looking at him. Jesse chuckled at her reaction to her show of emotion and waited for her to finish before he slung his arm over her shoulders and walked out with her.

Everyone had already started to practise when they walked into the Bella house. The groups had been split so some practised in the Bella house and some practised in the Treble house. The first thing Beca noticed when she entered the room was her own group, and Carly. Beca's entire body tensed up at the sight of the cause of all her problems. The entire war could be put on Carly's head, that and the crazy dependence on Jesse that Beca had acquired. Jesse must have felt her tense because he moved his arm to around her waist and held her to his side tightly and almost possessively. She was secretly thankful for his gesture as they approached the girl who had turned their lives upside down and left them just as quickly.

"What's happening here?" Beca demanded forcing her voice to sound calm and forceful.

"Apparently Carly has to join this group and replace Stacie." Aubrey explained, the displeasure all too clear in her tone of voice.

"It's fine." Beca spoke through gritted teeth even though it was far from it.

"You always made a great backing singer." Jesse added squeezing Beca slightly. Her mouth twitched as she tried to contain a smile.

"Alright then Carly, you go in Stacie's place. Me and Jesse have a special song planned for the competition but I want you to do this." She started to direct the group, which now included a scowling Carly.

By lunch time Beca was exhausted not only had she had to direct her own group, and cope with Jesse's slightly excessive clinginess, she had also frequently been called upon to help, advise and watch, other groups, after sorting out where Stacie had to move to.. As she stepped inside the other house for lunch, Jesse attached, she let out a sigh. She was finally able to relax. They had made a 'no shop talk' rule for in this house and Beca was more than grateful. They had just sat down when they heard a scream.

"Oh my God!" Stacie shouted. Everyone turned to her to see what was wrong.

"We leave in 3 hours!" She exclaimed. Beca and Jesse looked at each other. How where they supposed to plan, choreograph and rehearse an entire performance in 3 hours?

Okay, hi again. So I actually wrote this chapter by hand while I was on a cruise round the Norwegian fjords the other week and it was mostly written at night so it was post cocktails so while I wasn't at all drunk I will blame any mistakes or weird bits on that, though hopefully they were combed out when I typed it up last night and the night before. Okay, I hope you enjoyed it. Yes, Carly is back. Did you think I had forgotten her? Te-he. I know Jesse has suddenly become clingy literally overnight. He does have a reason. And graduation has been hinted at again. Any guesses at what happened? I'd love to hear them. Okay. I hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you think and see you in the next chapter. (*smiles*)