~C~

Chloe heard Aubrey give out a disappointed sigh and gave out one of her own. Auditions this year seemed a little slim compared to last. She hoped Aubrey didn't ask if she thought it was because of The Incident last year. Chloe didn't want to have to choose between her usual honesty and lying to keep Aubrey from spiraling again.

While they had a decent number of people show up, and every group should be able to get the bodies they need, there were only a couple that stood out and a handful more that would need a little work. But Chloe was confident she and Aubrey would be able to get them into shape in no time.

But Chloe couldn't help but feel the sting of disappointment as the last person left the stage. She had so been hoping... 'I probably scared her away, with the naked. And then naked Tom.' She sighed to herself. 'But, she did want my name, so maybe…'

Then she saw movement off to the side of the stage, a flash of brown and dark grey peering in. The other woman looked a mix of nervous, cocky and challenging. Her head titled with a flash of 'well, I'm here' on her face as she met Chloe's eyes from outside the stage door.

Joy flitted through her like lightning. "Oh, Wait! There's one more." She waved as Aubrey looked over at her questioningly.

'She's here!'

"Hi." She tried to tone down her enthusiasm. But it was hard, so hard. It wasn't until now that she realized just how much she'd been looking forward to this all week and the disappointment from earlier washed away unnoticed.

"Hello." The brunette waved awkwardly with one hand before she dropped it, taking strides to the center of the stage when Chloe waved her over again. "Um, I didn't know we had to prepare that song." Chloe liked that Alt Girl kept their eyes locked as she walked forward.

Whatever this girl wanted to do was fine with Chloe and she waved the words away. "Oh, that's okay. Sing anything you want." Chloe watched as she knelt down before them. She had to remind herself not to stare down the grey top. 'Though it's not my fault. That is an extremely low-cut shirt.'

"Uh…" Alt Girl leaned forward and pointed at the yellow cup of pens sitting in front of them. "May I?" She scooted to the edge of the stage and leaned forward, arm outstretched.

"Oh…" Chloe nodded and watched as the pens were carefully dumped out on their desk. She was not going to look down her shirt. She was not. She… The brunette flicked a look at Aubrey, who hadn't said anything but was watching the pens clatter down in an untidy pile.

And in that moment of distraction, Chloe let her eyes drop. Which was really just unnecessary as she'd seen literally everything already. But she couldn't stop herself. The woman looked hot with her dark colors and skinny jeans. 'Careful, Chlo, your toner is showing.'

As their last audition settled down cross legged on the stage, Chloe leaned back and folded her hands, trying not to smile. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Aubrey sit back in her chair and place her hands in her lap.

After a soft clearing of her throat, Alt Girl began to sing. While it was a simple song with the cup adding the beat, Chloe could feel herself begin to thrum with excitement. Every time those deep blue eyes met her own, the buzzing jumped a notch. She could feel her breath getting quicker with each connection and she felt her lips part. This was more than she was expecting to feel.

'She really is beautiful. Add in her voice and she's amazing.' Chloe felt herself start to fall. Or continue one that had started in the showers. Or, if she was being honest, she'd started falling at the activity fair.

'This girl is going to be… everything.' She wasn't sure if she meant for the Bellas or for her personally, but thought that ultimately it didn't really matter. The connection was definitely there, Chloe could feel it every time their eyes met and she didn't think she was the only one.

As the song drew to a close, those eyes flipped once more to Aubrey and back to Chloe. Alt Girl had this look like she wanted to smile, but wouldn't let herself. So Chloe did it for her, letting the grin spread across her face before she looked at Aubrey.

Aubrey had remained quiet and still beside her the entire time and Chloe couldn't help but hope this was slowly changing her mind about Alt Girl. She really wanted Aubrey to like her so Chloe didn't have to beg or put her foot down. She could easily see the annoyance that floated beneath Aubrey's attempt at an indifferent expression but she wasn't sure of why it was still there. Then Aubrey's lips twisted as she stared at the stage and it was all Chloe could do to not let out her snicker as it all clicked home.

This girl was good. Aubrey knew it. And she hated it.

'I told you so.'

~B~

Beca had been standing in the hallway for the last few auditions and felt her heart pound. 'This is insane. What am I doing here?'

They all, mostly, sounded so amazing. And she… She didn't even know there was an audition song, or that she'd have to more than just… sing. Beca didn't know how to make instrument sounds with her mouth. Why the hell hadn't Chloe told her? She felt slight resentment at being so unprepared. She could see Chloe sitting in the front row, Aubrey beside her, as they took notes and clapped as each person finished.

She turned and took a few steps back down the hall to the exit before she stopped and spun around again.

'This is so fucking stupid.' She closed her eyes and heard her dad's voice in her mind.

"Put yourself out there... Do something, make friends… And I'll help you move to LA."

She took a deep breath and actually stepped back into the doorway this time, her right hand nervously tapping the palm of her left. Her eyes focused on a mop of red curls that suddenly moved upward as Chloe met her gaze.

While surprised by the happiness that lit up Chloe's eyes, Beca allowed herself to be pulled forward by them. She was nervous and felt awkward walking across the stage by herself as the two organizers stepped back. She could hear the rest of the auditorium whispering a bit before they settled down. But she quickly tuned them out to remain focused on the one familiar and friendly face.

As she explained that she didn't know there was a song requirement, hoping that Chloe was getting the underlying 'no, really, thanks for the heads up', she settled to her knees in front of them, her eyes flicking only occasionally to Aubrey. She vowed to do her best to ignore the blonde while hopefully not making it obvious. Though, admittedly, Aubrey wasn't giving her the hostile glare she was expecting. It was more confusion than anything. Maybe she wasn't just one of those college bitches who hated Beca on principle because she didn't fit their sorority mold. Or have any desire to. But it would be nice if there was more here than her experiences with high school cliques prepared her for. 'That'd be… kind of neat, though probably just wishful thinking.'

Beca would never admit to wearing this particular shirt combo for the express purpose of showing off her cleavage. The fact that she had to lean over in front of Chloe, whose eyes had already darted down at least once, was an added bonus. If she was admitting things. Which she was not.

As she looked back over at Chloe, already reaching for the cup, which was really her only wow factor at this point, her breath hitched silently.

'Holy fuck. Her eyes are blue. They're so fucking blue… like... is-that-even-possible blue. What kind of for shit lighting have we been in before? We were eye to fucking boob, how did I think they were grey?'

She cleared her throat awkwardly, trying to refocus and clear her mind. After a short pause, she began to sing. She'd learned this one night while she was bored watching YouTube, and she'd gotten to the point where she didn't even really need to think about it. She found it was actually better to not think and let muscle memory take over.

Beca occasionally looked up at her audience of two, because really none of the rest of them mattered, feeling herself grow warm as Chloe's eyes stayed on her. Each time their eyes met she felt a spark drift through her veins. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take that gaze and ignore the slowly building fire.

She flicked her eyes to Aubrey, and the chill there helped. She wanted to laugh at the look on the blondes face, almost able read the 'holy shit' in Aubrey's eyes. There was something else there too, something Beca's quick glances at Aubrey couldn't quite pin down, but it seemed… Calculating was the first word that popped into her head. As if Aubrey were weighing every possible outcome so she could be ready for anything. Beca got the feeling that Aubrey wasn't one for surprises, which apparently Beca's audition was.

She set the cup down and the final note drifted away.

And Chloe, that damn bundle of sunshine, gave her the same deep smile she had after their duet. Beca felt her palms start to sweat. 'I am not emotionally prepared for any of this right now.'

Chloe looked over at Aubrey and her eyebrows arched up and down as Aubrey pursed her lips. Still not outright angry but not even close to smiling.

Beca could almost hear the 'I told you so' Chloe was thinking.

~B~

Beca sat on the edge of the stage and filled out the paperwork she also didn't know she needed. She really was going to have to give Chloe some crap about the lack of information for this whole audition thing.

She was aware of the other groups filing out, discussing their options. She was also aware of the icy blonde that passed silently in front of her before heading up the aisle.

'This is going to be fun.' Her inner sarcasm was on point today. She sighed to herself as she filled in the last box. But before she could look around she felt a warm presence in front of her legs as a hand appeared in front of her eyes.

"Hi."

Beca looked up into a bright smile and blinked. 'Who dropped a sun in this room?'

"I'm Chloe Beale."

Beca blinked again as she refocused on those eyes that were suddenly so close again. 'Jesus, those are deadly.'

"I figured it was time to do this properly." Chloe winked up at her.

Beca smirked and took the hand in her own, trying to ignore another spark that floated through them. "Beca Mitchell. And by 'properly' you mean with our clothes on?" She felt herself winking back, which was a new thing for her. She wasn't sure if she did it right. Or why she was worried about it suddenly.

Chloe just smiled. "That was one of the most unique auditions I have ever seen."

Beca started to shake her head depreciatively, but then was caught again by Chloe's gaze looking up at her. So instead she blushed and looked to the side. "Thanks." She cleared her throat and handed over the clipboard in her left hand. "Think I'm all done." But she didn't remove her right hand from Chloe's or allow herself to really think of why.

Chloe took it, her fingers grazing along Beca's briefly. With a small tug of their right hands, she pulled Beca down a bit. "I'm not supposed to say anything, but… you're totes in." She smiled again. "Aubrey hasn't said, but I know it."

Beca looked uncertain. "That's… good…?" She made it sound more like a question, not sure where this was leading. Beca thought that was the whole point of Chloe begging her to do this audition thing.

"Since I've already surprised you once this week, I don't think I should just show up at your door," Chloe wiggled the clipboard, "and throw a hood over your head."

"What?!" Beca was a bit ashamed at the squeak in her voice.

Chloe just nodded. "Initiation, otherwise known as Hood Night. We show up, throw a hood over your head and kidnap you to a secret location. So you'll probably want to be fully dressed next Friday night." She paused a beat. "Unless you want to party in your underwear." Her tone sounded like was considering that possibility and she wasn't opposed.

Beca finally let go of Chloe's hands, momentarily mourning the loss, groaning as she covered her eyes. "What have I gotten myself into?"

Chloe laughed and slapped Beca's knee lightly before letting her hand rest there. "You'll see. It'll be fun. You'll be fine." She caught Beca's eyes. "Don't worry about Aubrey, I'll protect you." Chloe squeezed once.

Beca tensed slightly at the warmth that radiated from Chloe's hand, then laughed awkwardly as she hopped off the stage to Chloe's left. Distracted by her own reaction to the unexpected touch, it took her by surprise when Chloe grabbed her hand again and tugged her into a hug.

Beca wasn't a person who hugged and would go out of her way to avoid physical contact whenever possible. She had a personal bubble the size of Manhattan. Yet this blue eyed woman ignored all the warning signs - though after the shower Beca should really have known better - and waltzed right in. After an awkward moment of hesitation, stunned at the feeling of Chloe's body flush against her own, she patted Chloe on the back awkwardly. She refused to think of how her body tingled everywhere Chloe touched her. Not here, in front of everyone. Maybe once she was back in her room she would sort through what this meant. Or, and what she was really hoping for, she'd be able to push whatever she was feeling back into its box and lock it up again.

Chloe pulled back and planted a quick kiss on Beca's cheek, who managed to strangle her full recoil down into a mere flinch. With another smile, this one so close that its light was all Beca could see, she gave one more hug before letting go and stepping back.

"See you around!" Chloe gathered her files and the cup of pens then bounced up the aisle and out the door after Aubrey.

Beca stared after her, one hand reaching up to touch her cheek before remembering she was in public and dropped it back to her side.

'What the fuck is going on right now?'

~C~

While Alt Girl sat down on the edge of the stage with a clipboard, Chloe had avoided looking at Aubrey as they stacked their files together. Aubrey was being just a tad too efficient in her motions, a dead giveaway that she was a bit on the angry side. Chloe would rather not face that quite yet.

"So I'll see you tonight for dinner, so we can go over all the candidates?" Aubrey's tone was honeyed, another indicator she was feeling… prickly.

"Totes." Chloe finally turned and smiled. "I've got a really good feeling about this year."

Aubrey just rolled her eyes and walked away, refusing to look at the woman filling out the paperwork Justin had given her.

Chloe watched her Alt Girl for a minute, still on a high from just having the woman show up. For her to sound that good, unprepared, was more than Chloe could have hoped for. In hindsight, Chloe thought she should probably have told her there would be a set song. She decided to blame it on the thrill of convincing her to audition and not because she was distracted at the end by all the naked.

She finished placing the pens back in their cup, setting it down beside her files as she moved over to the stage. Her approach went unnoticed, so she put her hand in front of Alt Girl's face.

'Time I learn the name that goes with those eyes.'

"Hi. I'm Chloe Beale. I figured it was time we do this properly."

The other woman blinked for a moment before taking Chloe's hand. "Beca Mitchell. And by 'properly' you mean with our clothes on?"

Chloe felt her heart sing when Beca winked back at her. 'Beca. Cute. Like her. And she's flirting back! At least… maybe…?"

"That was one of the most unique auditions I have ever seen." Chloe held onto Beca's hand, all her attention focused on watching as Beca started to shake her head, but then blushed and looked away. Chloe thought it was the most adorable thing she had ever seen.

"Thanks. I think I'm all done." And she held out the clipboard, which Chloe took eagerly. So what if she let her fingertips graze along the other girls hand more than necessary. She couldn't help enjoying the additional touch while trying not to read too much into the fact that Beca still hadn't released her other hand. Or that she didn't think Beca realized her thumb was lightly running over Chloe's skin.

Chloe brought Beca closer and whispered conspiratorially, warning her about Hood Night and the impending kidnapping. Because Aubrey was going to add Beca to the roster. Chloe wasn't going to give Aubrey a choice. She wiggled the clipboard that had Beca's dorm room as well as cell number. She tried to ignore the running commentary at the back of her mind that began wondering what Beca wore to bed. Since all freshmen had to live in the dorms for the first year, she was pretty sure Beca wouldn't sleep naked. Pretty sure, though finding out otherwise wouldn't be...

'Dirty bird.' She grinned as Aubrey's mildly scandalized voice floated through her head at the image that tried to form.

She pulled herself together when Beca groaned. "What have I gotten myself into?"

Chloe lightly slapped her knee before letting it rest there, enjoying the firm leg just under her fingertips. "You'll see. It'll be fun. You'll be fine." She caught Beca's gaze and saw the underlying worry and squeezed lightly. "I'll protect you from Aubrey."

After Beca hopped down, Chloe stopped fighting with herself and pulled her into a tight hug. It was all she could do to not wiggle in sheer happiness. She felt the awkward pat to her back and couldn't fully resist the next feeling that rose up in her. But instead of planting a quick kiss on Beca's mouth – 'Friendly, this is just friendly.' – she aimed instead for her cheek, feeling the slight flinch as her lips met skin.

Chloe pulled back long enough to smile before giving another quick hug and forcing herself to let go and step back. She didn't have that much time before she met Aubrey for dinner.

After gathering her things from the table, she called back a "See you around!" as she headed up the aisle, though everything in her wanted to stay behind and get to know Beca better.

~C~

Aubrey settled back down on the couch in the living room of the Bella house and handed Chloe the glass of wine she'd just poured. "It wasn't the best turnout this year."

"No, but…" Chloe paused to take a sip from her glass. "There were plenty we can work with to get a full group."

"I hope so." Aubrey leaned back and grabbed the stack of folders from the table behind them. "Alright, let's go through the first pass and set aside the no's." Picking up the first one, she read the name and showed Chloe the photo. "Cynthia Rose." Aubrey looked at her notes. "I thought she was really good. Really strong, great voice."

"Totes." Chloe nodded and smiled. "Bit of swagger." She shrugged when Aubrey looked at her. "What, we could use that maybe." Privately she was a bit surprised that Aubrey hadn't immediately dismissed her as 'alternative.' It must be something else about Beca that she hadn't liked on sight. Chloe took a sip of her wine, grinning internally. 'Or maybe liked too much.' She knew Aubrey wasn't quite as straight as Chloe had originally thought when they'd first met. Something she had believed right up until a drunken game of Spin the Bottle last year where Chloe had personally found out that Aubrey was an amazing kisser. So maybe there was more than an immediate dislike. She took another drink. 'Too bad, Beca's mine.' Though after seeing Aubrey's reaction to one of the other potentials, she didn't really think she had to worry.

Aubrey set the folder down in front of Chloe and picked up the next. "Oh, her… Isn't she the one who kept crying while she sang?"

Chloe tried not to laugh. "Yes. I was trying to figure out if she'd gone through a bad breakup recently."

"Yeah, that's… no. That's definitely a no." Aubrey looked over at her.

"She sounded okay through the sobs, but…" Chloe shook her head. "Can't have the possibility of tears always looming in the performance." Aubrey set the folder down in front of her.

They went through several more, adding Kori, Denise, Mary Elise and Ashley to the pile in front of Chloe. Then Aubrey's voice changed, like she was trying to hold in any inflection she might make. Chloe looked over curiously.

It was the tall brunette that was awfully fond of her own boobs. But Chloe hadn't missed the look in Aubrey's eyes when she'd walked on stage. And it wasn't just because she fit the 'bikini ready body' standard that Aubrey had set. "Well she's definitely in." Chloe said, teasingly.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Why do you say it like that?"

Chloe had a moment's hesitation then decided to go with it. "Because you liked her."

"She's the look we're after." Aubrey shrugged. "Her singing was a little…" She frowned. "I'm not actually sure what that inflection was, honestly."

"Her voice was good under it though." Chloe eyed her narrowly. "But that's not what I was talking about."

Aubrey huffed. "You know I don't have time for… whatever it is you're implying." She ran her hand across the Bellas scarf still tied around her throat. "This year is all about making up for…" She stopped. "Last year."

Chloe patted her arm sympathetically. "It's not like you couldn't make time for something more, Bree." Privately she thought it would do Aubrey a world of good to find someone to share this last year with. "I could see it in your eyes while you watched her."

"You couldn't help but watch her; there was a lot of groping." Aubrey said absently as she read through the information sheet.

Chloe laughed and shoulder bumped her. "You know that's not what I meant." Chloe hesitated then mentally pulled on some armor. "Bree. You've been alone the last three years. I just…" Chloe put her hand on Aubrey's thigh. "I just want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy."

Aubrey sighed. "Yeah, but… whatever it is you're thinking isn't going to happen." She handed the folder to Chloe. "She's not even eighteen."

"What?" Chloe grabbed it and scanned quickly. "One Stacie Conrad, born January 9th, 1994. So she graduated high school early. That just means she's smarter than she looks, with the groping and all. More mature for her age."

"Means she can be a Bella, but nothing else." Aubrey's voice was firm. "End of discussion."

"But, Bree." Chloe pushed just a little. She'd see the instant spark and light in Aubrey's eyes. It was almost as obvious as the one she'd felt when Beca had walked up to them at the Activity Fair. "That just means her birthday is in like, 4 months. Then she'd be eighteen…"

"End of discussion, Chlo." Aubrey cleared her throat and took another sip of wine. Chloe could see past the hard line to the genuine disappointment underneath and it made her sad. Aubrey had so much to offer someone. She was smart, talented, driven, beautiful and utterly loyal. She could have anyone she wanted but rarely chose to let anyone close. And even then they never were around long. Aubrey would put up her walls, covered in barb wire, and push them away. Though, Chloe admitted, those Aubrey did let in were never anyone that Chloe felt were good enough for Aubrey. Her standards for her best friend were high, though she always encouraged Aubrey to find her happiness regardless of Chloe's own feelings of who she was with. Chloe knew, without a shadow of a doubt after their single make-out session, that Aubrey had a strong and deeply buried passion inside her and hoped one day the right person would come along and set it, and Aubrey, free.

Chloe let it go. For now. "Okay, Bree." She set the folder down in their maybe stack. She had plenty of time to work on it if Stacie seemed to return her interest. "Who's next?"

"Fat Amy." Aubrey held up the file. "I'm surprised I'm going to say this, but… I think she was really good." She winced a little. "A little strident at times, but she sounded great at the Fair."

"Totes. We can work with the rest of it, she's got the basics." Chloe laughed. "And mermaid dancing if we need to distract the judges."

Aubrey set the folder down in front of Chloe. "Jessica."

"She the happy one?" Chloe peered over her shoulder.

"Yes. But she was good." Aubrey tapped the file on her knee. "We can cure bouncing, right?"

"If we can get Stacie to stop groping herself, we can get Jessica to stand still." Chloe's voice was sly.

Aubrey rolled her eyes and held up the last two. "Lilly and Beca."

"Yes." Chloe said simply.

"Why am I not surprised." Aubrey set Beca's down for the moment and looked over Lilly's information. "I couldn't hear a thing she said on stage, could you?"

"No, but her beatboxing was the best I've ever heard. And you could actually hear it. Unlike her singing." Chloe poured more wine for them both. "I'm sure we can work on that too."

"True." Aubrey stared at the picture for a moment longer. "Alright, that's one more in the maybe pile."

"Is it really a maybe pile if we need them all?" Chloe took another drink. "Except the crier," she added as an afterthought, though she felt bad saying it.

Aubrey made a face, her lips twisting. "I thought I was the one who was supposed to be all logical?"

"You are. That's why you're also going to take Beca." Chloe plucked the folder from her lap and read over the paper again.

"Chloe…" Aubrey began but Chloe cut her off.

"Bree." Chloe took a deep breath and turned to face her. "You know she sounded great. Her voice was so good." Chloe smiled. "She can even harmonize really well." She thought back over the shower.

"When did you learn about that?" Aubrey's voice broke through the forming memory.

"Um…" Chloe rolled her lips together. "When I cornered her in the shower because I heard her singing and made her sing with me?"

"Chloe!" Aubrey looked like she wanted to laugh and yell at the same time. "I – you what?"

She shrugged. "I didn't know it was her at the time. I just heard this amazing shower singer and… maybe walked into their stall and found out it was her." Chloe smiled. "She was so flustered it was cute." She bit her lip, considering. "I mean, don't get me wrong. The whole package was cute." She fanned her face while Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Actually, the whole package was hot, and I don't mean because of the water." She winked. "If you know what I mean.

"Oh my god, Chloe." Aubrey took a large gulp of her wine.

"Don't be jealous, Bree." Chloe pushed a little, just to see where it led.

"That's not… I didn't…" Aubrey sputtered and Chloe watched, fascinated as the lightest blush hit her cheeks as she took a deep breath. "I meant you can't do things like that!

"Well, now I don't have to do it again, because we're going to make her a Bella." Chloe saw Aubrey sigh and cut her off. "Aubrey. I told you that I will support you this year. That I'll let you make the choices you feel are right that will get us back to the ICCAs. But as your co-captain, the one request I'm going to make of you, is that we add her." Chloe looked down as she realized her hand had gripped Aubrey's arm. She forced herself to let go. "Because the Bellas need her."

"And your toner?" Aubrey's tone was snide, but it wasn't as harsh as Chloe would've expected.

"Not the point." Chloe shrugged. "You heard her on stage, unprepared, Aubrey. Wait until you hear her harmonize. It'll be aca-awesome."

"She's not a Bella, Chloe." Aubrey held up her hand. "We'll take her. But… She's not a Bella. Not where it counts." Aubrey touched her chest. "Not in here."

"It'll be fine." Chloe bounced once on the couch and barely restrained her clapping. "You'll see." She hugged Aubrey tightly before settling back down.

Aubrey literally threw up her hands. "Fine. But this better not be about your toner, Chlo."

Chloe crossed her heart. "I promise." She bit her lip. "Mostly."

Aubrey just rolled her eyes.