I do not own Pitch Perfect
7: Act 4: Before It's too Late
"No, Posen, I'm not going to do it, at least not now." Beca said adamantly. The Bellas were having their usual private rehearsals now that the script for act four had been given to them. Fate went over blocking, transitions, and the little choreography that she wanted the groups to include earlier that day. They were going to go over the whole of it the next day.
"What the hell is wrong with you Beca? It's part of the scene!" Aubrey seethed. They have been at an impasse about one particular scene for about an hour now.
"Let it go Bree." Chloe said, intervening, and Aubrey took a deep breath before addressing Chloe.
"You honestly think Valentine will let the munchkin get away without doing it during our actual rehearsals?"
Amy stepped in before thing escalate even further. "Why don't you want to do it Beca?" she asked and Beca groaned.
"Because!" she exclaimed before storming out of the living room and slamming the door shut in her shared room with Amy.
"I'm going out for some air." Chloe announced before quickly stepping outside. Jessica followed her to check that she was okay and the rest of the Bellas sullenly dispersed leaving Amy, Stacie, Aubrey, and Cynthia Rose in the living room.
"Did you ever pause to think this might be a little hard on Beca too? She knows she messed up and she's still so confused with what to do." CR said defending the DJ.
"Well it's not my fault she's too emotionally handicapped to process everything." Aubrey snapped and Stacie gave her a look that made her apologize as quickly as she said it. Aubrey sighed. "Things could be made so simple, if we just let go of everything holding us back."
"I'll go check on Shawshank." Amy muttered leaving the other three Bellas in the living room.
Not wanting to just suddenly intrude in whatever Beca was doing, Amy knocked on the door lightly. She heard a sniffling sound but when no protest came Amy decided to enter the room. "You okay shorty?"
Beca was sitting on her bed, knees brought up to her chest. She looked uneasily at Amy and she shook her head. "What's wrong?" she heard the Australian ask.
"I don't know what to do with Jesse, we still haven't talked for weeks and I don't know why I keep delaying the inevitable. It's just, he's my best friend. I don't want to lose him."
"Oh Beca, if you're not ready to get married…" Amy started to say, of course she wants Bhloe or Bechloe – as Stacie kept insisting to call them instead – to happen, but if Beca was still being oblivious and her heart still set on Jesse… they can't just force something to happen. To be honest, they tried before. Nothing happened other than Chloe getting hurt by Beca's refusal to acknowledge anything between them.
"It's not just that Amy." Beca said, a little too quietly. "I'm scared. That's why don't want to do the damn scene until I necessarily have to."
"I'm not following you short-stack."
"I'm scared Amy, of how I'll… Ugh… I'm afraid. I'm terrified, but in some stupid way it's a good kind of terrified and I don't know if I'm ready for it. If I'm ready for what's coming next."
Amy scrunched her face in confusion. It sounded like Beca was trying to tell her that…
Before Amy's thoughts could catch up to her Beca said it, three simple words that carried with it the whole weight of Beca's world. "I love her."
"I am telling you she said it!" Amy insisted after pulling Aubrey and Stacie somewhere off the backstage before they started.
"Then why doesn't she just go ahead and do that stupid scene!" Aubrey shrieked but before she could say anything else she got interrupted by Stacie trying to contain her laughter.
"Bree, don't you see, it's because of that very reason. Remember the question Fate threw us? In act four Beca is in her most vulnerable. She doesn't have her walls up, and the only thing left is the truth that she's being confronted by. Beca has no defenses left up, and she's trying to get it together before she reveals just how vulnerable she is to Chloe."
Before the three of them could still argue, they heard Fate calling them on stage. "Everyone set? Take it away Chloe."
The scene starts with Beca on some stretcher upstage, with Luke playing the part of the surgeon and some members of the BU Harmonics as his colleagues working on Beca. Chloe was on stage left, grief evident as she watches the doctors scramble to try and save Beca's life. Chloe starts her song, it was just her in the beginning. Jessica and Flo soon join her. Then Emily and Ashley. Followed by Amy and Stacie, Aubrey and Cynthia Rose.
And all these words they come to late
You can never compensate for this pain
I should've said it all when I was close to you (2x)
Like I was supposed to do (2x)
The song starts to fade as the Bellas stop singing one by one, leaving only Chloe to finish up her song, her voice singing softly until it fades.
It's too late
The hands of fate
Oh the hands of fate
Just won't wait
No, it just won't wait
The lights on stage right where the Bellas were fade as Jesse rushes in through stage left with Trebles looking equally distraught. He starts to sing his song in a similar manner with Chloe's song with the Bellas, the Treble backing him up one by one.
You won't let go,
But you still keep on falling down,
Remember how you saved me now,
From all of my wrongs yeah,
If there's love just feel it,
If there's life we'll see it,
This is no time to be alone, alone, yeah,
I, wont let you go
The Trebles and the Bellas then start to harmonize in the background as the doctors were starting to lose Beca. Chloe and Jesse rush a little closer to center stage where Jesse starts to sing
Cause all these scenes of grief got my head spinnin'
And we're dancing on the edge of a knife
And could I be your hero or your villain
Uhh, I guess it just depends in whose eyes
Then Chloe takes over
I could draw you a picture
I could write all my fears
I could read you a scripture of tears
And then the two sing together.
And I know, no matter how much colder
Or how much I carry on my shoulders
As long as I'm standing, I'll be closer
Cause it ain't over, 'til it's over
But we don't get down
No we don't get down
We can turn this 'round
And maybe
It's today ahh yeahh
Luke steps away as they manage the doctors manage to save Beca's life. Luke gathers Chloe and Jesse and tells them that Beca is in critical condition and all that they could hope is for her to wake up. The doctors leave Beca and both Jesse and Chloe rush next to either side of her bed and while the two stay by Beca's side, waiting and wishing for her to wake up, the Trebles start to sing, with Benji taking the lead.
Hold up, Hold on
Don't be scared
You'll never change what's been and gone
May your smile
Shine on
Don't be scared
Your destiny may keep you warm
'Cause all of the stars
Are fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see them some day
Take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
The song fades as the Trebles exit the stage, leaving behind Jesse, and the Bellas start their song.
Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
And where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
How to save a life
The sounds of the monitor start to beep like crazy, Jesse runs to get Luke and Beca's hands grab Chloe's pinning her in place. She flutters her eyes open and instantly acts scared asking where she was and who she was. Luke explains to Chloe and Jesse the obvious, Beca has amnesia, and whole montage of Jesse and Chloe taking care of Beca takes place while they once again sing Get Down.
But somewhere along the montage Beca starts to hum the beginning of her song. The Bellas kept turning up one by one to visit, and they find themselves scattered on stage as Beca continues to hum the melody of her song. Chloe and Jesse keeps taking turns visiting, Jesse being overly romantic with balloons and flowers and stuffed toys, while Chloe was just there sharing her passion with music with Beca, a passion that even without her memory she still connects to. In the middle of a joint visit where the two pretty much go out of their way to make Beca comfortable, Luke comes in to check on Beca and asks Jesse and Chloe to step outside. They engage in polite chitchat as Beca starts to sing her song while Luke does his thing, the Bellas backing her up.
Something always brings me back to you.
It never takes too long.
No matter what I say or do I'll still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone.
You hold me without touch.
You keep me without chains.
I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love and not feel your reign.
Set me free, leave me be. I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity.
Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be.
But you're on to me and all over me.
The scene starts to transition to Beca recuperating well, check-ups and PTs happen with Jesse and Chloe taking turns in taking care for her. Beca continues the song.
I live here on my knees
As I try to make you see
That you're everything I think I need here on the ground
But you're neither friend nor foe
Though I can't seem to let you go
The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down
But instead of doing what she was supposed to do next Beca just mumbles it out and proceeds to the next part of the song. "Stop!" Fate calls out. "What was that?"
"Well, I figure that you know, we can skip that part of the scene…" Beca starts to reason out.
"No you can't just skip that part of the scene Beca. You have to do it. You're supposed to live in the truth of the moment of each scene not step away from it when it makes you uncomfortable." Fate argued.
"But" Beca started to say but she was immediately shushed by Fate. "Do it now Mitchell, you can't put it off until you find a time most convenient for you. We start from the top. Hmmm… maybe not the top, but from the start of your song, sounds good?"
Everyone nodded in agreement, even Jesse who wasn't even entirely ecstatic for the scene. "Alright then." Fate called out. "Once more, with feelings."
When Beca got to the part where she stopped and mumbled like an idiot the last time she paused, looking into Chloe's eyes. She was smiling at her a little unsure of what going to happen next. Aubrey almost spoke up to get Beca to get over it but Fate shot her a glare that stopped her.
Fate watched and Fate saw, the pause that had occurred was more than just Beca's reluctance at the scene. It was the truth settling in between them, between her and Chloe. It was the truth being communicated through nervous smiles, imploring looks, and the silence that had enveloped them into their own little world on stage, and in real life. Beca didn't want to do it this way, and Fate wanted it to be more romantic, but the DJ had to confront her feelings.
Beca took a deep breath as she ran her hands through her hair. She inched closer to Chloe as her eyes flickered between Chloe's impossibly blue eyes and her lips. The redhead didn't even notice that she too was moving closer to Beca, crossing whatever little space was left between them.
Beca wrapped her hands around Chloe as she pulled her closer. Their lips met, and Beca couldn't help but notice how soft they were. She was nervous at first afraid that Chloe won't reciprocate but when she felt her kissing her back, she couldn't help but smile through the kiss.
It was soft, and simple, and gentle, and chaste… and something just clicked…
Fireworks. Kissing Chloe Beale equaled fireworks and sparks flying everywhere. It meant butterflies flying on a frenzy in Beca's stomach. It meant fire burning through her veins. It felt right, like it was the only thing that made sense.
They slowly deepen the kiss and Fate smiled. It was as if the two had forgotten about everything else in the world, like they weren't even on stage. She looked back at Jesse who was supposed to walk in on them kissing and break the two up. But Jesse was too stunned to speak. Because to him, something had clicked too. Fate made a sound with her throat and Jesse looked up. She motioned for him to go on.
Jesse steps in, looking heart broken. Chloe and Beca both looking guilty. Jesse reminds Beca that they were meant to be and that they were going to get married. Chloe steps in and tries to get an angry Jesse calm. They fight with Beca left so confused in the middle of it all. Because in the middle of the showdown, her memories start to come back, one by one, and then all at once. Jesse gives an ultimatum and when Beca looks at him confused at what was going on he walks out. Beca realizes what had happened, her walls were down, she let Chloe in and terrified her. It terrified her because it made perfect sense to let Chloe in. Hurt, Chloe walks away leaving Beca on center stage. The Bellas start to leave exit one by one and Beca starts to sing softly after finally regaining her senses.
I was thinking bout her, thinkin' bout me
Thinkin' bout us, what we gon' be
Open my eyes yeah, it was only Just A Dream
So I traveled back, down that road
Will she come back, no one knows
I realize yeah, it was only Just A Dream
The lights fade. Narration informs that a some time passes. Chloe receives a news about a job opportunity somewhere else, she celebrates with Aubrey and the rest of the Bellas who throw her a going away party. The scene transitions to Jesse with the Trebles. He makes a decision that he needs some time away so he can figure out what he wants after everything that has happened between him and Beca. The last scene settles in on Beca. Finally making a full recovery. She meets with Amy and they talk about her progress. She asks Amy about how everyone else was doing and Amy tells her that both Jesse and Chloe were leaving soon. The look on Beca's face tells Amy all she needed to know and the Australian tells her that she better act fast.
Once alone on stage Beca weighs on her decision. The dilemma that Fate had proposed weeks earlier now being brought up. She asks herself, who does she truly love, who makes her happy, and she asks which decision would make more sense. Beca slumps down and while on her knees she starts to sing a song as she internally finds the answers to all the questions she's been asking
There's so much craziness surrounding me
There's so much going on, it gets hard to breathe
When all my faith has gone, you bring it back to me
You make it real for me
When I'm not sure of my priorities
When I've lost sight of where I'm meant to be
Like holy water washing over me
You make it real for me
And I'm running to you, baby
You are the only one who saves me
That's why I've been missing you lately
Cause you make it real for me
The scene ends with Beca finally arriving at her answer, her mind made up. She runs to exit stage left. She's made her decision.
Fate smiles as act four comes to close. They were all one step closer to the end.
NOTES:
**Act 4 title based on Before It's too Late by Goo Goo Dolls
**Songs included in the chapter
- Supposed (James Arthur)
- I Won't Let You Go (James Morrison)
- Get Down (James Arthur)
- Stop Crying Your Heart Out (Oasis)
- How to Save a Life (The Fray)
- Gravity (Sara Bareilles)
- Just A Dream (Nelly)
- You Make it Real (James Morrison)