Shout out to CupcakeCutie90, who worked out why Chloe was showing the girls those particular movies ;) anyone else catch it? Let me know what you think! :) x

"When are we gonna meet him?" Michael whined.

Beca let out a frustrated scream, slamming her coffee mug down on the table.

Somehow she had found herself lumbered Chloe, Fat Amy, Lily, Cynthia Rose and Aubrey. And in turn, Tom and Michael had made their way inside. And Michael had been following her around all day like a puppy or something, trying to weasel out of her when her next date was.

(Beca didn't even know why. Her father and stepmother had taken the girls out for the day, and Beca had intended to take a long nap and work on some mixes. But nothing ever went to plan.)

"All I'm doing is volunteering my services to babysit my nieces!" Michael protested.

"For the fifteenth thousandth time, you are not going to meet Jesse!"

"Why the hell not?" Stacie complained, the only retort she had for Beca's refusals.

"Beca, we need to meet him", Chloe said firmly, staring intently at the brunette.

"Yeah, we need to meet your little piece of man candy", Fat Amy said with a grin. "I mean, you're finally getting some-"

"Hey!" Michael and Beca squawked at the same time.

"Amy!" Aubrey laughed at the look of horror on their faces.

"What, you aren't?"

Michael turned to Beca in horror.

"Come on, even you can acknowledge that your baby sister isn't a virgin", Fat Amy scoffed.

"Yeah, three kids, kinda a giveaway", Cynthia Rose said with a grin, and Michael frowned.

"We've been going by they were the immaculate conception", Beca rolled her eyes. "Michael, grow the hell up, you aren't meeting Jesse. Stacie, shut the hell up, I'm not scaring him away by introducing him to you. Fat Amy, there is food at your house. Lily - well, you didn't do anything this time. Thank you for that".

"You're welcome", Lily said in her usual whisper, making Fat Amy roll her eyes.

They were silent for a few moments, before Beca heard the tell-tale ringing of her phone. Leaping up, she snatched it up, but not before Chloe saw the same on the screen.

"It's Jesse!" she said in delight and Beca took off out of the room, trying to answer it.

"Hello?" she said sweetly, dodging Michael' grip as she rang.

"Beca?" Jesse said in confusion. "Are you okay, what are you doing?"

"I'm okay, I'm- MICHAEL!" she shrieked, as he grabbed her around the waist. "Jesus Christ, act like an adult! I'm sorry, Jesse". She glared at her brother, wriggling out of his headlock.

(Beca had posted a photo to Instagram on the day of her engagement party to Luke, after Aubrey had twisted her hair into a fancy do; with the caption 'as long as I have fancy hair my big brother can't put me in a headlock'.)

"So, what's up?" glaring menacingly at her friends, she moved into the family room, plopping down on the couch and ignoring their looks.

"Not much- Dean keeps telling me how he had a really great time the other night. He wants to go somewhere else with you guys".

"Yeah, Natty loved having someone around with the same sense of humour". Beca chuckled, glancing over her shoulder to find her entire group of friends standing in the doorway, trying to look innocent.

"So, Beca… I was just wondering… did you want to go out on a proper date? Not a movie-"

"Not a movie?" she gasped dramatically, and Michael stared at her in confusion.

(They all knew Beca's dislike for movies. She made it very well known.)

"You're hilarious".

"I try". Beca glanced at her friends, flicking them away. Instead of moving further away, Chloe and Stacie simply plopped themselves down either side of the brunette, straining to hear. "I'd like that".

(She swore she heard Jesse breathe what sounded like a sigh of relief.)

"Um, how does Saturday sound?"

"Saturday sounds great!" Chloe called down the phone.

"Hi Jesse! Beca loves you!" Stacie piped up, and Beca's face turned bright red.

"Beca?" Jesse frowned.

"I hate you", Beca spat, glaring. "Sorry, Jesse, ignore them".

He chuckled, knowing that Donald and Benji would do similar things, if they were in the room. But his friends had taken his children to the park for the afternoon and he was making full use of that opportunity.

"That sounds great", she said finally, after managing to push Chloe and Stacie away.

"Great!" he beamed. "So, would you like me to pick you up at say… six thirty?"

"Okay", she agreed. "I'll text you my address".

"Cool".

"I'll see you on Saturday?"

"That sounds great", Jesse said sincerely. "See you Saturday!"

"Aw, Beca!" Chloe squealed once she set the phone down.

"I hate you all".

Come Saturday, they had all made their ways back to Beca's house- even though Lily was the only one with permission to be there (there was no way Beca wanted Chloe and Tom or Aubrey and Michael anywhere near her house that night but apparently her wishes never stopped them).

Beca let out a screech as Aubrey tugged the brush through her knotty hair, wriggling. "Aubrey!" she complained, and Rosie giggled.

(She hated Aubrey doing her hair. It hurt. Why was spend so gentle with Beca's kids and not her?)

"You're like a child", Aubrey huffed, holding Beca's head in one hand and attacking her hair with the other. "God, how can your three year old have less knots in her hair?"

"Did I ask you to do my hair?"

"No, Chloe did".

"Chloe", Beca growled.

"I also asked Stacie to do your nails".

"Courtney has spray", Rosie piped up, and Michael picked her up by the ankles, making her squeal. Courtney took a running jump onto her Uncle's back, and Natalie giggled, before climbing up onto Tom's shoulders.

"Let's have a race!" Courtney squealed.

"Good, get the hell out of here", Chloe told the boys, before closing Beca's bedroom door.

"This is hardly necessary", Beca said to the two of them. "I'm wearing-"

"I swear to God, Beca Mitchell, if you tell me you're wearing jeans I'll CUT your hair", Aubrey threatened.

"Jesus Christ", Beca mumbled. "I was going to say-"

"You aren't wearing jeans", Fat Amy protested.

"Stacie's here!" Stacie sang, marching into the room carrying a bag loaded with various nail polishes and nail treatments. "Gimme your hand".

"I'm good".

"Stop fighting it", Fat Amy advised her.

"Yeah, it'll only get worse". Cynthia Rose grinned.

"This is the worst afternoon ever".

"Best afternoon ever", Chloe corrected with a grin. "All we're missing is the pizza".

When the doorbell sounded through the house, Beca leapt up off the lounge, ignoring the curls that bounced around her face (because Aubrey was good with a curling wand, managing to tame her usual curls).

"I'll get it I'll get it I'll get it I'll get it!" Beca fled from the room, Michael grabbing her around the waist. "Michael!"

"I'll get it", he said, tossing her over his shoulder.

"That's not the pizza guy", Natalie said absently, picking the mushrooms off her slice of pizza.

Beca kicked and writhed, as Chloe stepped in front of them to open the door.

"Hey, you must be Jesse!" she said brightly. "Come on in".

Jesse had a bunch of flowers in his hand, smiling shyly. "Hi", he said, sounding uncertain. "Is, um, Beca ready?"

"Hi Jesse!" Courtney poked her head out of the lounge room. "Uncle Michael attacked Mummy".

"Did he?" he said in alarm.

"Michael, if you ruin her hair and makeup I SWEAR TO GOD!" Aubrey bellowed, and Michael set the tiny brunette the right way around (her cheeks pinker than usual), striding ahead of her to greet Jesse.

"You're Jesse?" he stared him up and down.

"Yes?" he said uncertainly.

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Michael, get out of my house". Beca pointed to the door, as slowly but surely, everyone began to pour into the hallway.

"Hey Bec!" Jesse presented her with the flowers, making her blush.

"Aw, Beca!" Chloe cooed. "Fat Amy, get the camera!"

"You call her Fat Amy?" Jesse's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"I thought you said cute Jesse, Beca, not hot Jesse!" Stacie fanned herself with a grin and Beca's face turned scarlet, as Jesse broke into a grin.

"Hot Jesse? You called me hot Jesse?"

"Ignore them", Beca advised. "They're all drunk. Drunk and delusional. My house might as well be an AA meeting".

"Where are you taking her?" Tom wanted to know.

"Tom!"

"When is she going to be home?"

"Michael".

"Yeah, what are your intentions with Beca?" Cynthia Rose wanted to know.

"Cynthia Rose!" Beca put her head in her hands. "Jesse, freak show. Freak show, Jesse. And of course, you know the girls. Let's get the hell out of here. Girls, be good".

"We will!" Courtney grinned.

"We always are". Natalie smiled innocently and Beca fought back a chuckle.

"I doubt that, Natalie Ryerson".

"Love you!" Rosie beamed at her mother.

"Aw, our little Beca!" Stacie cooed, making Courtney, Rosie and Natalie burst into laughter. "Aw, look at her!"

"Smile!" Fat Amy snapped a photo of the two of them and Beca's glare darkened.

"If you lot don't behave I'm going to call the cops and tell them I was broken into", she threatened, and Chloe laughed (knowing that it was most probably not an empty threat, considering she had made it before). "Let's go".

"It was nice to meet you", Jesse tried, and Natalie grinned at him.

"Yeah". Michael huffed and Beca's eyes burned into him.

"Bye Jesse!"

"Have fun Mummy!"

Beca leant down to kiss the three girls, before moving towards the door.

"I like him", Chloe said, as the front door shut behind them.

Courtney wrapped her arms around the redhead's legs, resting her head against her. "I like Jesse too, Aunt Chloe".

"She's happy", Fat Amy said quietly.

"I haven't seen her that happy since college", Stacie said, wrapping her arms around Rosie and kissing the top of her head.

"Come on, let's go and watch a movie". Tom, sensing the mood between the women in the room, hoisted Natalie onto his shoulders. "Who wants to pick?"

"Me!" Courtney let go of Chloe, running ahead of her uncle with Rosie on her heels.

"Be nice", Aubrey told Michael. "She's happy, we never saw her that happy when she was with Luke".

"I don't want her getting hurt. Do you remember what she was like when Luke left?"

"He's not like Luke, though", Chloe said seriously. "You can tell just by looking at him. Remember, you never liked Luke. He's decent".

"And he's not going to hurt her or the girls", Aubrey said. "He's got kids of his own; he's not going to hurt them".

"I still want to meet him properly", Michael said gruffly. "I don't want anyone near my little sister".

"Yeah, throwing her over your shoulder and trying to beat her to the door is not gonna make her want to introduce the two of you", Chloe said bluntly, making Stacie and Lily giggle.

Jesse darted around to open the door for Beca, showing his true gentleman. "Your friends seem nice", he offered, climbing into the driver's seat.

"Please, they're insane", she scoffed. "Sorry to subject you to that. It was only meant to be Lily; she's watching the girls for me".

"Which one's that?"

"The one who doesn't talk, the only one I like at the moment. Michael, the one who physically attacked me, that's my brother".

"You have a brother?"

"Stepbrother. His mother is the step monster". She didn't elaborate any further, and Jesse didn't ask her to.

"So, you said 'cute Jesse'?" his eyes sparkled and Beca groaned.

"I never said that, you should never listen to Stacie. Stacie shouldn't be allowed to talk".

"I am adorable, though. I don't blame you for thinking that". He grinned and Beca gave him her trademark plastic smile (the name that Fat Amy had deemed the look that wasn't a smile- more like a 'did you really just say/do that?'). "So, tell me, Beca. I don't really know that much about you, after all, if I didn't even know you had a brother".

"Believe me, if you knew about me, you'd be running for the hills".

"I know you've got a brother, I know you've got kids, and I know you hate movies- I still haven't got over that, by the way. I'm pretty sure a part of me died when I heard that".

"I don't know that much about you, either", she defended herself.

"That's true. Want to make a game out of it?"

"Seriously? You seriously want to do that?"

"I seriously do". He nodded.

"What kind of game?"

"Twenty questions?"

(She was dating a child.)

(She was almost certain that the plastic smile was going to be her expression of choice for the night.)

"Are you serious?"

"Do you have a better idea?" he retorted.

"Fine. But not here".

"Fine".

"Alright, twenty questions", Jesse said confidently, once they were seated at the restaurant. "You want to go first?"

"That's fine", Beca shrugged, reaching for her glass of water and taking a sip.

"What happened between you and the girls' father?" Jesse asked curiously, and Beca spluttered on her water. Coughing, she tried to compose herself.

"Straight into the deep stuff. No 'what's your favourite colour' or anything?"

"Sorry, sorry. What is your favourite colour?"

She frowned slightly (because why would be throw a loaded ass question like that out there? Out of all the questions in the world, he wanted to know what happened with Luke). "No, no, I'll answer it. I'm not a chicken".

"No, I'm sorry, that was rude. Seriously, you don't have to answer it".

"Oh, I'm gonna answer it". She nodded. "Um… well, I met Luke- that's his name, before you ask, the girls' father is called Luke- when I was in college and I was really… withdrawn. I didn't really like people. I'd had trouble trusting people since my Dad walked out on me and my mum when I was a kid- that messed me up. You're going to learn that tonight- you know, between me and those freaks at my house-"

"Beca", Jesse cut her off. "It's okay".

She was rambling, and she knew it. "Anyway, Luke broke down the walls that I had and I fell for him. We got engaged, and I got pregnant. We were so happy, when we had Rosie- that was why we had the other two, that's why Natalie and Courtney were born. We were so happy- until Courtney was about three months old. I caught him cheating on me, and the truth came out that he'd been sleeping with this other woman since before Natalie was born".

"Oh my God, Beca", Jesse said softly.

"Basically, I kicked him out and never want to see him again". She shrugged. "That's why Michael and Tom are so protective- Tom's my best friend's husband and Michael's friend, he's like a brother. They don't want me to go through that again".

"Oh my God", Jesse repeated. "See, I don't get it. If you have something amazing- if you have four beyond amazing things in your life- why would you risk ruining that? He sounds like a douche".

"He is a douche", she agreed. "Alright, your turn. Your… your kids mum. What happened with that?"

"Okay", he said slowly. "Just like you, I met Katherine in college, and it was love at first sight. It sounds cheesy, but it really was. I proposed to her at the end of our senior year, and we were going to wait to get married- you know, to settle into life outside of college and everything- and then she got pregnant. So we got married, and then Ben was born". He paused, chuckling. "My parents still think Ben's a honeymoon baby".

Beca giggled (remembering the outroar Michael had caused when she announced to her family that she was pregnant before marriage).

"Anyway, we were living the American dream, you know? Katherine had her therapist job, I had my scoring job. We had Ben, and then Dean and Brody were born, and life was perfect. But when Brody was a baby everything was ripped apart- Katherine died in a head on collision".

Beca's jaw dropped. "Oh my God".

"So I was left with the kids- my parents and her parents and my friends were really supportive, they helped me out immensely, but it was really hard. It was hardest on Ben, I think, he adored Katherine". He smiled softly. "But yeah, that's what happened".

"Oh my God, Jesse, I'm so sorry".

He smiled at her, but Beca didn't see the usual sparkle in his eyes. "Alright, your turn again".

"Hit me".

"You're on". He paused for a moment, thinking. "Best part about being a parent".

She groaned. "Dude, oh my God! How am I gonna answer that?"

"We've got all night".

(There was the sparkle again. The sparkle that made her smile.)

"If you were to get any pet in the world, what would you get?" Jesse wanted to know.

"A dog", she said immediately. "I love dogs".

His eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah- why?"

"I did NOT have you picked as a dog person".

"I love dogs". She grinned. "One time- this is Chloe's favourite story to tell, actually- I dated a guy just for his dog".

"Really?"

"Yep". She nodded. "Not the best move, but that dog was the cutest. When he dumped my ass I missed the dog more".

"Best moment of college", she shot.

"Ooh, I have a few. Making it to the ICCA finals every year".

"Nerd alert".

"No, we were awesome! You know, you were an aca pella girl".

"I don't brag about it like you".

"You know I was awesome". Jesse broke into a grin at the way Beca bit back a smile, vowing to spend the night working for that smile.

"There's just one thing I want to do before I take you home", Jesse said to Beca, and she turned to him in alarm.

"What are we doing?" she said suspiciously.

"My friends wanted to meet you".

"If this is because I accidentally subjected you to those freaks at my house, I'm sorry", she said quickly. "That was an accident, I really only wanted Lily there. The others kind of just came".

"Well, I happen to know that all my friends are at my place, it was only meant to be Unicycle, but everyone rocked up. The kids are asleep, but Donald said if they didn't get to meet you, they'd tell my boys stories from college. And I don't want that". Jesse flushed and Beca chuckled. "Actually, maybe two stops".

"Huh?"

"We've still got five questions each".

"What are you talking about?"

"Want to get ice cream?"

(He was like a garbage can- she was absolutely stuffed, and had said that. "How can they serve ungodly huge portions of food and then stare when I only eat a third of it?" "It's because you're tiny").

"Okay", she said (it didn't really matter if her stomach exploded, she decided, because she had had a really great night).

So Jesse parked the car outside the same ice cream parlour that she and her girls went to too often, running around to open her door. Taking her hand and helping her out of the car (she couldn't get over how sweet he was, Luke had never done anything like that); she took a seat at her favourite booth while Jesse ordered their ice cream.

"Alright, Miss Mitchell". Jesse slid into the booth across from her, grinning. "It's my turn. Hit me".

"Favourite movie of all time".

"The Breakfast Club", he said quickly. "One of the best scored movies of all time, with an epic storyline. Directed by John Hughes, it's a classic nineteen eighties high school movie".

"Never seen it".

His eyes bulged. "What?"

"I told you, I don't like-"

"I know you don't like movies, but it's The Breakfast Club! The Breakfast Club is so much more than just a movie! It's a classic!" his eyes grew even bigger when he saw the blank look on her face. "Oh my God! You are going to watch The Breakfast Club with me".

"What?"

"Just the ending. The last minute and a half made movie history and launch Simple Minds in the US". He nodded, as their ice cream was brought towards them. "Thanks".

"Hot fudge with rainbow sprinkles". She chuckled, picking up her spoon and working its way into the huge bowl (what was the point of getting two bowls if they got the same thing? They had learned over their entrées that they shared a love of hot fudge and rainbow sprinkles). Jesse dug out a spoonful of ice cream, smiling at her.

"Okay", she said finally. "You can show me the end of The Breakfast Club".

"That's the last time you're ever gonna watch a movie voluntarily.

"It's not voluntarily", she scoffed.

"You keep saying that- you'll love it, I promise".

"I'm holding you to that".

Jesse pushed his front door open, the smell of popcorn hitting his nose. "Hello?"

"Jesse!" Donald stepped out of the living room, grinning. "This must be Beca!"

She waved shyly (realising how Jesse must have felt when he had the joy to meet her friends).

"Beca, this is Donald", Jesse said, shaking his head.

"So, you're the girl who stole Jesse's heart", Donald grinned at her, holding out his hand. "Hat, Uni, get out here! Benji!"

The first thing Beca noticed about his house was the posters. Movie posters were plastered on the walls, framed photos of Ben, Dean and Brody breaking them up. The largest, however, was one advertising The Breakfast Club.

"Beca, that's Donald, Benji, Uni and Hat".

"Uni and Hat?"

"Unicycle", Uni shrugged.

(Jesse had told her their real names, but she had no recollection at the time.)

Their banter continued for the next twenty minutes, as Donald teased Jesse over his lack of dates and Beca over her height ("shut up man, she doesn't even need a booster seat!" Jesse had snapped at Donald and Beca had turned to him incredulously, crossing her arms over her chest. "Excuse me?") and the fact that together, they were essentially the Brady Bunch ("Benjamin Applebaum, get the hell out of my house". Jesse had pointed to the door and Beca had just shook her head, imagining the field day his friends would have if they met her friends).

"So, I've got one more question for you. You asked all twenty, I only asked nineteen", Jesse said, as he pulled his car to a stop outside Beca's house.

"What?" she asked suspiciously.

"Can I have another date?"

She broke into a shy smile. "I'd like that".

He leant towards her and she diverted her eyes, pressing her lips to his. Jesse smiled against her mouth, feeling the softness of her lips.

"Thank you for a great night", she said gently, once they had broken apart.

"It was my pleasure. Um, I'll call you later?"

"Sounds great". She smiled at him, before throwing in the nickname that had become a term of affection. "Good night, nerd".

"Good night, weirdo". He grinned at her and she stepped out of the car, waving. Jesse waited until she was on the porch before driving away.

"Wow", he said, breathing out a lungful of air he didn't even realise he was holding.

"Wow", Beca breathed, sticking the key in the front door.