A/N: Yes, I realise this was terribly late and it's also REALLY short. RL is kicking my butt. Sorry

Rating: T

Characters: Beca/Jesse, the rest of the Pitch Perfect cast plus some other characters.

Warnings: Mature situations referenced and swearing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pitch Perfect or the songs used in this fic in any way. I'm just playing with them.


Hurricanes Chapter 13 – Dreamgirls Interlude


With every mile that passed on their journey from New York to North Carolina, Beca was relieved.

While Chloe had been a fantastic friend and an enthusiastic tour guide, she was tired. Shoving aside all her feelings about the situation with her mother, in hindsight, wasn't the best idea.

Through all the things they had done, the shopping, the eating, the drinking, the musical that they had seen together, Beca had felt an odd emptiness she couldn't shake or ignore. She reckoned that it was her heart trying to heal over the open wound of her mother's hatred and pettiness. She was only numb to it when she had curled up with the world's most patient boyfriend in the world at night, breathing in the smell of fresh linen and either talking about her feelings or stubbornly keeping her mouth shut. It was in that cover of darkness, unable to see Jesse's face, that Beca felt free to express herself.

At least Jesse was his usual self. He was back to treating her the same way, with both tenderness and teasing. Although at the moment he wasn't talking to her because she had eaten the last packet of twizzlers. Instead he was watching the movie 'Dreamgirls' on his beloved laptop, not bothering with earphones and letting the sound blare out in retaliation.

Beca had to admit, from where she was sitting, trying to concentrate on the road as she navigated the freeway, the movie sounded good – and this was coming from an avid avoider of musicals, simply because the 'hey, everyone randomly burst into song' thing just didn't cut it for her.

It amused her to no end when Jesse would sing along to the tunes. It was a marker of just how many times he had watched the movie, listened to the songs.

It was also a bonus as far as Beca was concerned. She enjoyed Jesse's singing so much, and the warmth that filled her up from it.

At some point later, Beca was only half-listening to the movie when Beyonce began to belt out lyrics that caught her attention.

She sucked in a breath.

Was there some person controlling the strings somewhere to make this song come out at such a time? It was the fucking story of her life, her relationship with the person who had given birth to her.

"Beca? Are you crying?" came Jesse's surprised voice.

"Play the song again," she demanded, refusing to confirm the truth.

Although he rolled his eyes and shook his head like she was mad, he did it anyway, rewinding the scene until the song began again. The opening bars of soft piano resonated through Beca's soul, the exact same feeling as when she had listened to 'Bulletproof' and 'Titanium' and about a hundred other songs that gave her goose bumps whenever she heard them because of the sheer emotion it unlocked within her.

By the time the song finished again, Beca had turned off the motorway and to a service station, hoping to god that she wouldn't cause an accident with the tears blurring her vision. When she parked, she turned to Jesse – ignoring his wide-eyed, bewildered stare – and asked once more, "Play the song one more time."

He did.

She did nothing but lean back and listen to the song. "Listen," by Beyonce playing her role as Deena. She barely noticed Jesse get out and head towards the glass doors of the service station. All Beca could focus was the resonating words, the powerful surge of emotion that rocked through her.

This was what she had needed all this time. Someone else, singing words, not knowing they would reach a broken soul. Her soul, finally fixing herself.

She had followed her own voice, the voice that her mother had thought she had given to Beca. In reality, Beca's inner voice had been forged by music and by the determination to be herself in the face of the crap the world threw at her. And because of that, she was free.

The tears had dried on their own, Jesse was still doing whatever the hell he was doing in the shopping area of the building and here she was, cleansed.

Beca smiled to herself, feeling the tension just evaporate right out of her petite frame.

"Of course," she muttered to herself sarcastically, "I had to have this epiphany now. Not before the crap, but after the crap." She ran a hand through her hair, dishevelling it and sighing.

An errant thought occurred to her and Beca groaned.

She realised that she now owed Jesse one for setting up the circumstances in which she heard the song.

Damnit.


"You know, if I knew that song would have been your therapy I would have played it a hell of a lot earlier."

"You aren't psychic last time I checked," shrugged Beca, grabbing the packet of pretzels from her boyfriend in exchange for chips. They were both leaning against her car, staring out towards a park they had found and casually discussing her latest breakdown.

"I've tried and failed miserably." Jesse pushed his sunglasses up so they perched on his messy mop of hair and was utterly serious. "Are you okay? I know I'm sounding like a broken, skippy record but I care for you so much. I hate seeing you like this."

Beca nodded, leaning against him to show she was being truthful. "Yeah. I mean, slowly, I'm getting better."

"Good," Jesse replied, crumpling up the now empty packet of chips and tossing it into the trash before bending to kiss Beca's full lips. He hummed, tasting the wonderful salt combo of chips and pretzels and leaning back, getting the full force of one of Beca's rare expressions of tenderness. He was relieved and hoped they could put this behind them. As much as he supported Beca, it would beyond awesome if they could just take some time for themselves so he could properly romance her and treat her right, the way she should be treated.

"Do you want me to play it again?" he asked as they got back into her car.

Beca had a far off look on her face a for a moment before she shook her head, hopped back out and went around to his side. "How about I watch it and you drive?" she suggested impishly.

Jesse chuckled and replied, "Sure, shrimp."

"Get out and hand over the laptop, dork," Beca said with her ever present rolling of the eyes.


A/N: I know, I know, it took me ages to get this out. I'm sorry. Reviews are always appreciated nevertheless. Also, the lyrics to the song Beca heard are below. I think it's very fitting for her.

Listen to the song here in my heart
A melody I start but can't complete
Listen to the sound from deep within
It's only beginning
To find release

Oh,
The time has come
For my dreams to be heard
They will not be pushed aside and turned
Into your own
All cause you won't
Listen...

[Chorus:]
Listen,
I am alone at a crossroads
I'm not at home in my own home
And I've tried and tried
To say what's on my mind
You should have known
Oh,
Now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what you made of me
I followed the voice you gave to me
But now I gotta find my own.

You should have listened
There is someone here inside
Someone I thought had died
So long ago

Oh I'm screaming out, and my dreams will be heard
They will not be pushed aside or worked
Into your own
All cause you won't
Listen...

[Chorus]

I don't know where I belong
But I'll be moving on
If you don't...
If you won't...

...listen to the song here in my heart
A melody I've started but I will complete
Oh,
Now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what you've made of me
I followed the voice you think you gave to me
But now I gotta find my own,
My own.