A/N: I am going to be insanely busy the next couple of weeks but I'm going to try my best to keep up with these stories. That being said, this chapter is really, really short and I apologize for that but I left you hanging last time and I didn't want to leave it too long.

Chapter 5

Stacie didn't sleep at all. When Aubrey woke up she found Stacie in the corner of the bed, hugging the knees that were pulled to her chest, staring into the center of the room. Aubrey sat up.

"Stace? Stacie? What's wrong?"

"We have to talk," Stacie said, meeting Aubrey's eyes. Aubrey's stomach clenched.

"Do we have to?"

"Don't we?" Stacie's eyes softened. "Do you remember any part of last night? After we fell asleep?"

Aubrey looked away but Stacie gently touched her face, guiding it back until their eyes met. She nodded but when Stacie kept staring at her, she knew the brunette was waiting for something more. "Yes," Aubrey whispered. The blonde watched as something unreadable shifted in Stacie's eyes. She looked away, getting up from the bed.

Stacie got up too. "Where are you going?"

"I'm not going anywhere. It's just that sometimes it's hard to… be so close to you."

"What do-"

Aubrey rushed on sort of frantically, raising her voice to cut Stacie off, like if she didn't speak now she never would. "Lately, it seems, I can't stop thinking about you. I go home after rehearsal and I wonder what you're doing. I wake up in the morning and I wonder if you're awake too. When I see you, it makes me happier than it should. And when I think about kissing you.. I don't feel negatively or indifferent." She took a step back when Stacie took a step closer to her. She let out a heavy sigh. "I guess what I'm trying to say is.. I think I like you."

Stacie closed the distance between them slightly and reached for Aubrey's arms, lightly squeezing her biceps. "I like you too."

"But," Aubrey finished quietly, eyes glimmering with unshed tears. "You're supposed to say 'Aubrey, I like you, but...'"

Stacie took another step forward, so there was no space between them. She was sure Aubrey could feel her heart hammering in her chest. She moved her hands to Aubrey's waist, holding her there. Aubrey moved her hands to Stacie's shoulders, intending to push her away, but her fingers relaxed and she sighed, looking somewhat despondent. In any other situation, she might have laughed at their positions - they looked like they were about to slow dance.

Stacie blinked, holding her eyes closed for a moment and then stared at Aubrey. She tilted her neck slightly and lowered her head, moving it closer to Aubrey's. Aubrey kept her eyes open, looking up at Stacie and unconsciously raising her chin to close the slight distance between them, their lips so close but not touching. Stacie's nose brushed against Aubrey's and she stopped, softly caressing Aubrey's sides with her thumbs.

"How are you?" Stacie whispered, her words floating across Aubrey's mouth and Aubrey breathed them in, swallowing heavily.

"I'm fine," Aubrey answered, confused by the question and giving her usual automatic reply even though she didn't feel fine. "How are you?"

"I'm good." Stacie moved the fraction of an inch that was left to touch her lips to Aubrey's, holding their mouths pressed together. Aubrey didn't move, her eyes remaining open and her gaze steady on Stacie. Stacie eased the minimal pressure of their joined mouths and moved back, only far enough to lean her forehead against Aubrey's.

"How are you now?" Stacie asked.

"I'm… I'm okay."

"That was nice?"

"Maybe we should…try it again?" Aubrey squeezed Stacie's shoulders lightly, moving her palms over Stacie's clavicles and back up.

"We could do that."

Neither girl moved, though. Stacie closed her eyes, breathing softly. Aubrey's own eyelids drooped and she stared at Stacie's mouth with a half-closed gaze. The hands that were lightly rubbing Stacie's shoulders shifted to the side and Aubrey linked her fingers behind Stacie's neck.

"Aubrey," Stacie whispered. "I'm really nervous."

"So am I." Aubrey nodded in agreement, their close proximity causing her lips to lightly graze Stacie's. Aubrey moved again, rubbing her bottom lip across Stacie's with a feather-light touch. Stacie tilted her head and their mouths came together again, a little harder pressed than before. Stacie parted her lips slightly and Aubrey's mouth opened as well.

Stacie opened her eyes, briefly, seeing that Aubrey's eyes had slipped shut. She ran her tongue over her own bottom lip, catching Aubrey's as well. Aubrey pressed her lips together for a moment, but relaxed again, opening her mouth wider and leaning slightly closer to Stacie. Stacie moved her hand around to reach up and touch Aubrey's face. The back of her knuckles brushed against Aubrey's breast and Aubrey pulled away, breaking their kiss, breaking away from Stacie's hold.

"I'm sorry," Stacie breathed, opening her eyes. "It was an accident, I didn't-"

"It's okay." Aubrey moved back into Stacie's arms, her body trembling. She took Stacie's hand and pressed it over her breast, holding it there before she shut her eyes and leaned in to kiss Stacie again.

Stacie traced the top curve of Aubrey's breast with her thumb. Aubrey was shaking against her, her lips quivering against Stacie's, even as she tried to deepen the kiss. Stacie moved her hand to Aubrey's cheek, folding her knuckles down to stroke the soft skin before breaking away from her. She touched her lips to Aubrey's jaw and then laid her cheek against Aubrey's.

"I'm scared," Aubrey whispered.

"Don't be scared. Please, Bree.." Aubrey's heart fluttered; Stacie had never called her Bree before and it somehow seemed significant to her. Stacie wrapped her arms around Aubrey, tangling a hand into her hair and moving Aubrey's head to rest against her chest. Aubrey squeezed Stacie, tightly, before letting go and stepping away.

"I should go." Aubrey went quickly to grab her purse and her clothes.

"Don't go." Stacie sounded more vulnerable than she wanted.

Aubrey stopped her movements and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them to look at Stacie. "I just.. I need to process this. I need some time." Aubrey reached out and grabbed Stacie's hand, giving it a squeeze, as Stacie nodded, not able to say anything.

Aubrey shut the door behind her as she went and Stacie was left wondering how this turned from Aubrey kissing her to Aubrey leaving her.

Rehearsal was excruciating for Stacie. Aubrey wouldn't look at her and when it ended, she was one of the first to leave - which never happened. Chloe asked if Stacie wanted to get coffee with her and Beca but she declined, stating she had homework.

She really did have homework but after an hour of trying to do it, she had given up. She couldn't concentrate. She didn't know how much time Aubrey needed. She wanted to be fair and give her the space to figure things out but she didn't know if she could live like this.

Days went by and nothing changed. She only saw Aubrey during rehearsal, contact was very limited, and then Aubrey took off again. Her only comfort was hearing the voice at night. She tried to take a nap during the day to hear it but it didn't work, which was probably for the best.

Stacie was laying in bed after an exhausting day. Her mind was racing as it always was these days. She decided that she was going to try to talk to Aubrey tomorrow, even if it meant going to her apartment. She didn't need answers from her if she didn't have any - but she couldn't go with no contact.

She felt her eyes fill with tears and immediately got annoyed with herself. She doesn't cry often but she was just so tired. She wiped the tears away, falling back in her bed wanting to sleep. She curled up onto her side and thought about how she liked it better when she hated the blonde leader.

It was a little after midnight when a knock at the door made Stacie jump. She got up and looked through the peephole to see out into the hall and immediately opened the door to Aubrey. Stacie stood at the door, taking in the blonde, noticing just how tired she looked. She stepped aside without saying anything, inviting her in. Aubrey shut the door behind herself and walked toward Stacie, staring at her intently.

"You've been crying," Aubrey said quietly, reaching up with one hand to wipe under Stacie's eye. Her hand stilled on Stacie's cheek as she looked into her eyes. In one swift movement, Aubrey moved her hand from Stacie's cheek to the back of her neck, pulling her forward until their lips touched. Stacie gasped into the contact.

Aubrey ran her tongue over Stacie's bottom lip, earning a whimper from the brunette. Before Aubrey could deepen the kiss any more, Stacie pulled away. The brunette rested her forehead on Aubrey's, panting slightly. She grabbed Aubrey's hand and put it on her chest over her heart.

"Can you feel my heart?" Stacie murmured.

"It's racing," Aubrey whispered. "Why?"

Stacie took a step back so she could look Aubrey in the eyes. "I like you."

Aubrey shook her head. "You don't even know me."

"I know enough to know I feel differently about you than any other person I know." Stacie placed her hand on Aubrey's chest. "I know you like me too."

"You hated me two weeks ago."

"I didn't know you two weeks ago."

"You don't know me now."

"There are a lot of people I don't know," Stacie said. "But only one I think about kissing." Stacie took Aubrey's face in her hands and kissed her. Their kisses were light and soft until they weren't, and then they lingered longer and pressed a little harder, almost teasing, daring. Suddenly they were hot and deep and Aubrey was leaning into Stacie, her arms sliding up the brunette's back and into her hair. Aubrey's back hit the door, startling her. She pulled her lips away.

Stacie didn't break contact, she was planting kisses on Aubrey's jaw, and then on her neck. Aubrey groaned, her breath coming out in pants.

"Should we talk about this?" Aubrey's legs were shaking and she was afraid they might give out at any minute. Stacie stilled. "I've never… This is…"

Stacie silenced Aubrey with her lips, taking her bottom lip between her teeth before sucking on it gently. Aubrey whimpered at the new sensation. She shivered when Stacie's hands slid up her side and back down, finding their way under her shirt to touch bare skin.

Stacie finally regained her senses, pulling away from Aubrey and taking a step backwards so she wouldn't be able to touch her, finally sitting when the back of her legs hit her bed. She let out a breath.

Aubrey felt need coursing through her and it took her by surprise. She typically doesn't let her wants or desires trump logical thinking. Then again, she's never felt desire like this before. Suddenly, she didn't want to think about what anything meant or how it was going to play out. She want those lips on her again. But she was far too cautious for that.

Stacie watched Aubrey approach the bed and sit next to her. The blonde took Stacie's hand, tentatively, her thumb gently rubbing back and forth. She sighed. "This is new for me. I mean, that I like you and that you're a girl, definitely - but also just liking anyone in general. I haven't in a really long time.. I'm too closed off. I don't let people in."

Stacie nodded, running her free hand through her hair. "Me too. I know it doesn't seem like that, maybe, but I prefer to be with people who are more.. disposable. I haven't ever felt like there was someone I wanted to stick around for."

"Ever?"

"Not until now." Aubrey felt her heart flutter.

"Can I stay?"