Beca missed Chloe. It was like she'd been cold her whole life, up until now. Up until Chloe. So...when Chloe wasn't around. Beca felt frozen.

She just sat back in Chloe's bed and waited for Chloe to come home after her class and make her feel whole again.

This was how most days went with Beca and Chloe. It was painful and electric and heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time.

"You know it's Christmas break soon," Chloe said breaking the perfectly comfortable silence between them.

She played with Beca's hair, curled up under her duvet with Beca's arms wrapped around her body, her head rested on Chloe's chest. The curtains were closed and it was nine in the evening.

"Hmm," Beca acknowledged her, not bothering to open her eyes.

"So what are you doing for Christmas?" Chloe asked.

"Don't know," Beca mumbled, snuggling in closer to Chloe's chest, purring like a kitten.

"Oh my gosh," Chloe laughed but her heart swelled with affection.

"I want Christmas with you Chlo'," Beca said in a small voice.

"Hmm me too. I have to go back to Florida," Chloe admitted quietly and Beca immediately tensed up.

Chloe held her breath, waiting for what Beca might say.

"For how long?" Beca asked. The news had woken her up significantly, and worry was pulling at her heart.

"I don't know." Beca could hear the guilt in Chloe's voice but...guilt never changed anything. "A week or two."

Beca didn't want to argue with her even though she knew she couldn't possibly take a week alone, and definitely not at Christmas when her Dad would be around. Fuck.

"I'm sorry. It's the only time I see my family all year," Chloe tried to cuddle Beca, but she wriggled out of Chloe's arms.

"It's fine," Beca lied. "I understand."

"Bec..."

"Let's go to sleep."

Beca faked a smile and rolled over away from Chloe. Chloe just looked at her.

"Fine," she said and switched out the light.

Half an hour later Beca was back in her arms but they both knew it would not be a pleasant Christmas.

"Merry Christmas Beca."

Beca looked up and saw Stacie. It was the day after she'd found out about Chloe's Christmas plans and Beca was sat on the quad trying to do some work for French. It had been a long while since they'd spoken; a week or two, ever since Bumper's party.

"Thanks." Beca didn't smile at her. Her mind was still caught up on the fact that she would have to spend two weeks away from Chloe.

"You've disappeared off the face of the earth," Stacie said and Beca nodded, not saying much at all. "I'm sorry about that night."

"It's fine."

Stacie just stood there awkwardly while Beca looked back down at her work, wishing she'd just fuck off.

"Are you okay? What's going on with you?" Stacie asked. She sat down next to Beca on the grass. For fuck's sake.

"Nothing," Beca said and sighed. "I've been really behind on work, so. I'm failing a lot of classes right now."

"Really?" this didn't seem to convince Stacie, but Beca could not tell ANYONE about her and Chloe. The only person that knew was Aubrey, who was trustworthy. "You never seemed to care much before."

"I don't wanna get kicked out, so," Beca said, trying to signal the end of conversation.

It wasn't that she was particularly angry at Stacie or anything, she just didn't want Stacie asking her loads of questions about what she'd been up to, when what she'd been up to was hiding away falling desperately in love with someone she was not allowed to be with.

"Why don't you hang out with us any more?" Stacie asked.

"I just haven't kay, sorry I didn't realise you guys were so attached the way you fucking treat me! Sorry Stacie, but I'm busy right now, if you really wanna hang out then I'm sure we can schedule something for some other time, okay?" Beca practically snapped.

Stacie looked hurt.

"Okay...bye..."

She left and Beca sighed, lying back and stressing out about everything even more.

So there it was December the seventh and there was a week left of school. Campus was colder than usual, perhaps the one thing that Chloe would not miss when she left for Florida in seven days. What she would miss were the nights of Beca. Beca was fucking reliant on her. She seemed like the sarcastic joker that liked drinking and didn't give a fuck about much...but she was not. She was like a little girl. It was nice...but it was also hard because she didn't want to make her mad. It was like now that Beca had let someone all the way into her life she'd become so afraid of being hurt that she just clung to Chloe for dear life. So Chloe leaving her alone all Christmas with her fucked up family was probably not a great idea. She just didn't have a choice.

"Hey Chlo', I planned something tonight," Beca said coming up to her at the end of English. She kept her distance in case anyone was watching.

"You did?" Chloe asked, smiling.

"Yeah. I'll pick you up at eight."

"Okay," Chloe said. "I can't wait."

"Good."

Author's note: you may be able to tell from this chapter that I'm feeling quite down today lol, hope you enjoyed, expect a date next chapter and angst too probably thankyou pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaasssssseeee review? reviews are so helpful anyway thanks xxxxx