A/N: Hey guys! Here is chapter 17 featuring a time-jump, Luke's musings, the return of a nemesis (although I didn't bring the character up much/at all in the last fic or haven't yet in this one – I just really wanted to give a guest appearance spot), and Beca's new assistant.

Thanks for sticking out so far. Next one will be up soon (probably in a day or two) before a short break (since 19 and 20 are long).

Songs featured are called 'A Drop in the Ocean' by Ron Pope and 'Still in Love' by Brian McKnight.

I don't own pitch perfect.

Luke was currently running his radio program, sipping on a cup of tea as the current song played over the airwaves.

It's been a long six months. He was being stretched thin with work and with all of his other projects – particularly the club that he and Beca wanted to open. With Beca gone and buried neck deep with her work in London, it was up to Luke to watch over and handle the actual construction and materialization of their little shared dream.

Well, Luke had to admit, it wasn't just him. The actual good progress they've been making was also thanks to Kaelyn, aka the master assistant of one Beca Mitchell. Thanks to Beca's connections and Kaelyn's knowing ways of how to handle all the communication traffic, the club should open within three months' time.

All Luke was wishing was for Beca to wrap up her London work sooner than that. It would only be appropriate for the DJ to be there on opening night, setting the stage on fire with her sick beats.

A drop in the ocean
A change in the weather
I was praying that you and me might end up together
It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert
But I'm holding you closer than most 'cause you are my heaven
You are my heaven

"And that was a song by Ron Pope, who we will have as a special guest for tomorrow's show. Don't forget to tune in to that folks. But for now, it's time for me to once pass the torch to my mate, Edrich Reiss, and his hour show. This is your favorite DJ, Luke Walker, signing off."

"Great show as always there Luke." Amy greeted as soon as Luke stepped out of the booth.

Luke chuckled. "I'm still amazed at how you manage to convince everyone to let you just waltz in." he greeted her just as she checked his phone for any missed messages. They made their way to a famous bar near the station, Jesse already waiting for them.

"So, Bumper joining us for the night?" Jesse asked as they joined him by the bar. "Anne's busy wrapping up a project, so she's sorry she can't make it guys."

"No, not this time. He's actually busy with a few things. Just you, me, and Luke. The usual bunch. Unless Red's coming?"

"Nope. Extended the offer but they apparently have a spring play or something at the school." Luke replied. "And Kaelyn's busy finalizing a few things with the club."

"Do you wanna' head on over there instead of our usual?" Amy then asked with a mischievous smile making Luke laugh a little.

"Are you asking me to crash a high school play with you?"

"Why not?" Amy then threw back with a shrug. "Bumper and I moved to LA to be closer with our pals, but here I am and all I ever see are you and Jesse and your significant others. Stacie's still finalizing work stuff with Aubrey before they move. And I was hoping Chloe would be around a lot but apparently that's a no. Which, by the way J-man, how's living next door with Red and Eli going on?"

Jesse shrugged, sipping on his beer before addressing Amy's question. "Quiet." he replied. "I don't know, they've been like that for months. I swear I feel like Eli glares at me sometimes. I still run into them sometimes when they're getting back from a date, I think?"

"So… who do you think's winning?" Amy then asked and Luke shook his head and sighed.

"I still can't believe that you guys have a running bet on how long their relationship will last after the failed proposal attempt."

"You joined the pool too, remember?" Jesse then teased Luke, trying to remind him that he's not as innocent as he looked.

Luke sighed. "I was strong armed by this one." he said before pointing to Amy. "I'm just glad Emily's not in on this too. And seriously, admire Posen's will for not caving in with Stacie's persuasions."

"Ah, yes, Stacie's persuasive methods." Amy then said wistfully, and Luke immediately started having flashbacks of video calls with Stacie huffing in annoyance at how Aubrey was able to disengage all her advances to get her to join. Well, someone had to remain rational.

"They are still giving it a go guys, we should at least respect that." Jesse then replied.

"You're just sad you already lost." Was Luke's retort. Jesse's bet was a month, and while Luke did rationalize with him that Chloe's probably going to at least give Eli the chance to let their relationship sort of slow down a bit and settle down a little, give it an honest try, Jesse was adamant that Chloe will soon realize that she was meant to be with Beca, and Luke appreciated that. At least given where Jesse stood before.

"I just don't understand why Chloe's still with him is all." Jesse then commented.

Luke sighed yet again. "Chloe has a tendency to see the good in people. That's one. So maybe she sees the good in Eli and all. Honestly, we really don't know much about their relationship to comment much about it. From what I last heard from Aubrey is that Chloe told her he was all apologetic for putting her on the spot in front of all of Amy and Bumper's guests and he's trying to make it up to her being all extra charming."

"I just don't get guys who pull of big stunts like that in the middle of a crowd. It's like putting pressure on the girl to just say yes, you know?" Jesse argued.

"Ah, Jesse, we adore you, but weren't you exactly like that?" Amy pointed out. "I mean, do you need a reminder of your epic failure of a serenade for our favorite little DJ?"

"Y-yes." Jesse stammered, embarrassed by his past mistake. "But I've learned the error of my ways. I've repented and all." he quickly replied before clearing his throat and turning to Luke. "But on the topic of Beca, how is she? I message her sometimes but she's pretty much MIA with me."

"Yeah, we talk through the phone sometimes but lately it's been like she just fell off the face of the earth." Amy added, bummed out. "I miss my Shawshank."

"She's been busy. Real busy. She really wants to wrap up her project now although form what I hear she's been doing real well. She's met some of the big names in the industry. She was too excited the last time I spoke to her about meeting her mentor and all now and that she's been busy on something big. I don't know she hasn't told me the specifics, not even who the mentor is. Just that the bloke's a Brit." Luke then explained, remembering the rare occasion he's had the chance to get a proper video call from his step-sister. But Beca's really passionate about whatever it was she's cooking up with her mystery mentor, so Luke shrugged it off to being a good thing.

"Can I be you're carry-on luggage when you and Kaelyn visit her in a month's time?" Amy then asked causing Luke to just burst out laughing.

They all really missed Beca.

"How about I tell her off for not calling any of you sooner?" Luke then offered as a compromise.

"I think that should do." Jesse then replied and the matter was settled.

One thing for sure, Luke's looking forward to see Beca in a month.

When the eagles forget how to fly
When it's twenty below in July
And when violets turn red
And roses turn blue
I'll be still in love with you

Beca was very much tempted to rip the phone of her new rather clumsy assistant, Jack, form the car adapter as he turned the volume on max, driving his car around the city to their usual pub. It was their thing, and Jack's a pretty nice guy to hang out. His boyfriend, Milo, was also quite the entertaining fellow. Besides, they were both fans of hers of sorts. Missing acapella days and all.

It's been six months and Beca couldn't really get the hang of driving on the wrong side of the road and considering her accident ages ago, it was better to be the passenger for now.

Jack's tastes in music was superb, if not sometimes cheesy. It's not his fault really, but lately Beca was getting antsy and everything's been reminding her of Chloe lately. That's what's been irritating her.

She misses her so much. Who could blame her?

Her memories, they were still coming in short bursts. Most of what she's been remembering lately she had been dismissing as trivial. Setting up a set-list for Nationals their second year, Luke's Halloween prank on her at the station when he visited her third year, dinners at her dorm room her freshman year with Amy and Stacie, and Jesse talking her ears off about movies.

They would pop up at the oddest of times, sometimes when nothing even remotely close to the memory that returned was happening around her. She's been keeping it a secret mostly to herself for now, the thing with her memories. She wanted to see what else she might end up remembering before telling Luke or any of the Bellas.

Chloe especially.

And Beca knew she should be thankful, she was getting something of the past back. But none of them were what she wanted to desperately remember, memories of Chloe.

She's been keeping her promise. That was what was important. She calls Chloe once a week.

She's just a little disappointed that she gets to talk to her less or less.

It was either work or Eli wanting to go out of town or Eli all of a sudden needing her help…

It was getting annoying.

But she was keeping her word and whatever little bit of Chloe she could hold on to while she was away, she would gladly take.

London had been good to her in some ways too, and the problem of what she'd do after she finishes the record and finally becomes free of her contract with Fitz is getting solved too. She's expanding her contacts, meeting all the right people, and Beca knew for sure which next step to take.

Beca was busy checking her emails on her phone, chuckling at Milo's insistence that they should set her up with someone and Jack arguing that there's definitely a girl Beca left behind and that's why they couldn't get her to go out on a date with anyone.

Beca was of course keeping mum about Chloe, they didn't need to know since technically there wasn't anything to know.

They know Beca's got amnesia. They know she had missing years.

But she didn't want to open up about almost getting married to the girl of her dreams only to forget about her. There were days that Beca still couldn't understand why Fate would play such a cruel trick.

"Come on Beca, why don't you just tell us, there's got to be a girl!" Jack insisted.

"And I'm still your boss, so I don't think you should keep pushing for information on something I don't want to talk about." Beca then replied.

"But of course there is a girl. Lovely red head, I believe she can give quite an intense glare." a tall, rather intimidating German then said as she made her way towards their booth. "Fancy seeing you here little elf."

Beca looked at her with intense curiosity. She was going to ask who on earth she was when Jack spoke up "We really ought to make shirts that say 'I'm with amnesiac'."

"Another one of your finer ideas Jack." Beca deadpanned before turning back to unknowingly address the one and only she-wolf leader of Das Sound Machine. "Like he said, amnesia and all. You don't really ring any bells."

The Kommissar raised an eyebrow, "Oh?" she asked, "But you do know you're name right?"

"I lost part of my memories, you got lost with them." was Beca's come back matched by her trademark smirk.

The Kommissar chuckled. "And here I thought I wasn't forgettable. Luisa, that's my name. And you are Beca Mitchell, the fearless leader of the Barden Bellas who once upon a time didn't even know how to give a proper insult."

"Well, that is my name. But, what do you want?"

Luisa shrugged. "Nothing really, I heard you've been doing well in the music industry, something I never thought would be possible. I'm here to extend an olive branch and maybe tease you about your girlfriend who strangely enough isn't with you?"

That hit Beca a little hard – also, olive branch for what? – But she couldn't be bothered about trying to figure out who Luisa was. Because of course, she had to ask about Chloe. Milo and Jack exchanged looks just as Beca racked her brain of something to say.

But her mind could only come up with one word for some reason.

Cinnamon.

The sudden loss for words wasn't lost on Luisa though. "Interesting." she said as she hummed. "I suppose you never know what life throws at your direction."

"I suppose." Beca replied.

"Are you seeing someone for your problem? Specialists, doctors?"

Beca's brows knitted together. "Were we friends or something? Why are you asking? Honestly, if not, then I don't…"

"You were more interesting and fun when you were all fidgety and scared of making your girlfriend jealous." Luisa honestly replied. "But I might know someone who can help you. If you're interested."

A part of Beca thought that she shouldn't trust her, but something in Luisa's tone did come off genuine and sincere.

People have a weird way of showing their true colors, she knew that now. Fitz 'banished' her to London but she was slowly understanding why, more and more opportunities were opening for her now. She was growing more and more in her profession. And a part of Beca knew that Fitz would have sent her to London anyways, even if the whole incident didn't happen.

People shouldn't be judged by their covers, by what they present to other people. One can always control how others would perceive them anyways.

And the other part of Beca who wanted to heal completely was very much desperately wanting to say 'yes, of course she's interested'.

Beca wasn't sure what to do. But she did know she left Chloe another promise. To make it back to her.

And if this was a part of the way she needed to take to get back to Chloe, then by all means she'll take it.

Hopefully, this was her making a new friend along the way.