A/N: Hey ya'll! Thanks for all of the PMs, reviews and (what are they called on Tumblr?) asks. I always love reading them all and replying to everyone. I want to get something clear cause a lot of you have been asking why I'm not updating frequently and somehow it got out that I considered abandoning this story. First, no, I would never abandon it, even if there was only one person reading it. I just got a promotion at work so I'm working crazy hours with barely any sleep. I write when I can (weekends mostly) and will PROMISE to update AT LEAST weekly if not more. Maybe keep on me if you DO like this story, it keeps me motivated.

I love each and every one of you (seriously, it's crazy how much love I have). Read on kind Bechloe fans!

The office was silent. The phones weren't ringing, there were no hushed conversations and Fat Amy wasn't sure what to do. She prided herself on keeping up an entertaining work place, especially with cameras watching, and so far so good, until today. She wasn't sure what had happened but it seemed like a cloud of depression had covered the office overnight and everyone was feeling it. Amy had even seen Beca make a sales call, successfully. Something was very wrong. And Amy knew it involved the snarky brunette.

It probably wasn't subtle but Amy decided the best way to fix whatever mess Beca had created would be spying. So that was how she found herself peaking through the blinds in her office, watching the short brunette's every action.

Beca was lost in her head, as she had been for most of the morning. She couldn't stop replaying that moment in the bar last night and reliving the emotions she had felt. Chloe was her friend, her best friend. They were close, actually Chloe was the one person that Beca felt closest to in her life, but Jesse was her boyfriend and Chloe was single. Beca had no right to be jealous. She had no right to be hurt, angry or upset. But she was. She was furious. She wanted to scream at Chloe, beg her for an explanation and demand an apology. But she couldn't. Because Chloe was her best friend and Jesse was her boyfriend.

Beca's eyes roamed the room, stopping on the redhead as they normally did. She looked relaxed and refreshed. Her hair was in waves down her back, her makeup was minimal, just accentuating her eyes, and her bright blue shirt was the perfect mix of professional and casual. She didn't look like she'd just had a one night stand.

Snap.

Beca glanced down at the pieces of pen that were now jutting into the palm of her hand. She clenched her jaw and released her fist, letting the pieces of plastic drop onto her desk. Her eyes went back to Chloe. She was moving her head to a beat only she could hear and was totally immersed in the music playing through her ear buds. Her eyes were open, focused on the screen in front of her as her mouth moved to the lyrics of the song. She was stunning. It was no surprise that it only took one look for that guy to leave with her last night.

Beca yanked her eyes away and dropped them to the blank notebook open in front of her. She grabbed a new pen and tried to shift her thoughts away from her best friend and onto her music.

The Way You Make Me Feel would be a good song to mix with something. Michael Jackson was a legend and his music was very easy to manipulate and mix. Beca wrote out a few key lyrics that she thought would work the best.

Hey Pretty Baby With The

High Heels On

You Give Me Fever

Like I've Never, Ever Known

You're Just A Product Of

Loveliness

I Like The Groove Of

Your Walk,

Your Talk, Your Dress

Beca tapped her pen against the page, mentally flicking through her catalogue of music to find a second song to pair with it. An idea sparked in Beca's mind and she started writing again, not really considering the implications of the song she was creating.

You're the best friend

That I ever had

I've been with you such a long time

You're my sunshine

And I want you to know

That my feelings are true

I really love you

You're my best friend

Beca stopped after she wrote the last line and stared at the page for a few moments. Music always seemed to be able to explain feelings to her in a way nothing else could. But she didn't like the answers that were staring her in the face. She glanced at Chloe again. The redhead was chewing her lip now and her eyes were narrowed. She clicked something on the screen and her eyes widened as her tongue poked out. Beca could watch her reactions forever, in fact, most days that was all she did. Her eyes scanned over the room, landing on Jesse. He was wearing his usual half-grin as he typed something up on his computer. He once had been filled with dreams of moving to LA and scoring movies. Now he was content staying in Barden, working as the second-best salesperson at a failing paper company. Beca tried to remember the boy from high school, constantly talking about dreams, true love and music. She barely recognized this man in front of her and that was her own fault. She had let go of their friendship in favor of using him as her boyfriend and now she couldn't find the strength to set him free like he deserved. At this point she owed it to him to stay. If only Chloe wasn't clouding all of her thoughts.

Jesse must have felt her looking because soon his eyes met hers. She watched as his emotions changed from happy to curious to concerned. "You OK Bec?" He really did care about her.

"Yeah. I'm fine," Beca lied, doing her best to return his caring smile but showing him something more like a grimace.

Jesse nodded once, accepting her answer, and turned back to whatever he had been working on. Beca's focus went back to Chloe.

"Listen up pitches!" Amy roared, suddenly jumping out of her office, causing more than a few people to jolt in surprise.

"Amy!" Aubrey chastised.

"What? You told me I couldn't call them bitches?" Fat Amy defended herself.

Aubrey rolled her eyes and turned back to her work, intent on ignoring the Australian.

"I have a surprise for you all. Waiting outside is a chariot to joy and freedom."

On second thought maybe Aubrey should be paying attention to the other blonde. She quickly turned back around, her brows raised and confusion written all over her face. "What?"

Amy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Bus. Outside. Excursion. Let's go."

No one moved.

"Amy we are working and busy. You can't just dismiss an entire day because you are bored," Aubrey chastised.

"I can and I will. Besides, this isn't about me. There is something wrong today, it's like horse manure, it just stinks all over the place." Amy waved a hand in front of her face, looking truly distressed.

"What?" Aubrey asked again.

"Just get on the bus!" Amy ordered.

Everyone reacted quickly, not used to seeing Amy angry. They filed past her, looking at her curiously, on their way outside and into the bus. Aubrey followed last, dragging her heels, but she started running when Amy made it very obvious she was more than happy to leave without her.

As Beca walked onto the bus she was faced with a hard decision. Jesse was sitting by himself behind Benji, obviously saving the seat on the small mini-bus for her. The temp was sitting behind him and behind her was an empty backseat. Normally she'd claim the backseat and sit with Chloe, whom she knew was walking a few people behind her. She always knew where Chloe was. Beca regretted her decision as soon as she slumped down next to Jesse. Her eyes found Chloe's straight away and she saw the hurt fly through them before it was covered by a smile.

"Chloe! Come sit with me," Emily offered from her seat when she saw Chloe hesitate.

Chloe rewarded her with a wide smile and slid into the free seat, letting Aubrey and Stacie take the back. Bumper sat with Benji, with Donald and Lily across the aisle from them. Flo and CR sat behind them and across from Beca, and Jessica and Ashley were across from Chloe. Fat Amy was driving.

"Does this sort of thing happen often?" Emily asked trying to keep her voice quiet so only Chloe could hear her over the sound of the engine.

"I wish I could tell you that it doesn't but it kinda does," Chloe whispered back.

"Well at least this is entertaining," Emily said hopefully, moving her head so that it was pressing against Chloe's so that they could speak privately. They hadn't known each other long but they felt a mutual connection that made them feel at ease with each other.

"Yeah you can never be bored with Fat Amy as your boss," Chloe agreed.

"So did you have fun last night? After you left?" Emily asked.

"What do you mean?"

"We saw you leave with that bartender. I thought maybe after what you told me you just needed…" Emily trailed off, waving her hand in the air.

Chloe turned her head to look at Emily front on, a frown on her face. "You guys saw me leave?"

"I didn't but Beca did."

Chloe glanced at the chair in front of her. Brunette hair was barely visible over the top of it. Was that why Beca had been acting so strange today? But why would Beca care if Chloe left with a guy. Could she possibly return Chloe's feelings? No. She had a boyfriend and she was straight.

Chloe was so lost in her musings that Emily decided to pull out her phone, connecting the earphones and pressing shuffle on her music library. A few minutes later Chloe still seemed to be frozen in thought. Emily tapped her lightly on the shoulder, smiling when the redhead turned to her straight away with widened eyes.

"Sorry. I was thinking," Chloe apologized.

"That's OK. Did you want to talk about it?"

"Maybe another time."

"Deal. Wanna listen?" Emily held up an earphone.

"Thanks," Chloe smiled, taking it happily and shoving it into her ear. "Oh! I love this song!" She cheered straight away.

Well, I've got two tickets to the game

It'd be great if I could take you to it this Sunday

And I'll walk you home when the whole thing's done

If you're there, I don't even care which team won

We can stop at the coffee shop

And make fun of the cops in the parking lot

We can laugh as we both pretend

That we're not in love and that we're just good friends

Beca grinned when she heard Chloe's musical voice filling the mini-bus. All of her earlier musings and problems were forgotten when she heard that sound.

Well, I'm tired of pretending

But I'm terrified of it ending

I know if not for you there's nothing I could do to ever let it end

And I know you feel the same way

Cause you told me drunk on your birthday

And as you pulled to me

You whispered in my ear, "Don't ever let it end"

Don't let it end

Don't let it end

Don't ever let it end

Beca turned in her chair, moving into the aisle partly so that she could face Chloe. She opened her mouth, ready to sing along with her best friend, just as they always did on a Friday night, when a second voice started singing instead of hers.

Saturday, I'm gonna take her out

Cause her favorite band is gonna play downtown

Gonna sing the song we've all heard of

About those two young friends that should've fell in love

Later on, we'll cut through the park

And she can hold my hand, cause she hates the dark

And we can laugh as we both pretend

That we're not in love and that we're just good friends

Beca was sure her heart stopped beating. Chloe was singing with Emily, not her. Beca could only watch as Chloe shared her wide, singing-while-happy, smile with Emily, not her. Beca could only watch as Chloe focused her bright blue eyes on brown. Beca could only watch as Chloe began to harmonize with someone that wasn't her.

Well, I'm tired of pretending

But I'm terrified of it ending

I know if not for you there's nothing I could do to ever let it end

And I know you feel the same way

Cause you told me drunk on your birthday

And as you pulled to me

You whispered in my ear, "Don't ever let it end"

Don't let it end

Don't let it end

Don't ever let it end

Chloe linked a hand with Emily's and raised it in the air, swaying it back and forth with the beat of the song. She was so into her performance that she had forgotten that they weren't alone, and were in fact on a bus full of people, full of co-workers.

The greatest times we ever had

It's crazy now just looking back, we can laugh

You never know where life's gonna go

Cause we're the only ones who'll ever know

About Sunday night just her and I

Sitting side by side in the full moonlight

I pulled her close, just to hold her tight

And the both of us could tell it just felt right

She looked at me in the sweetest way

Like she could tell what the hell I was about to say

Must've took a while just to find the words

Cause she cut me off and finally said it first

Beca clenched her jaw as the words sliced through her chest. How was it possible that Chloe just happened to be singing a song that so closely resembled what she was feeling? And how was it possible that listening to Chloe singing this song made everything so much realer.

Well, I'm tired of pretending

But I'm terrified of it ending

I know if not for you there's nothing I could do to ever let it end

And you know I feel the same way

Cause I told you drunk on my birthday

And as you pulled me near

You whispered in my ear, "Don't ever let it end"

Don't let it end

Don't let it end

Don't ever let it end

Don't let it end

Don't let it end

Don't ever let it end

The song changed and Chloe and Emily stopped singing, only to be met with a full round of applause from their colleagues.

"That was tight," CR complimented first, followed by various other comments from everyone else on the mini-bus. Well, everyone except Beca who was staring at Chloe with unhidden hurt stinging her eyes.

Chloe grinned, glancing at everyone on the bus as they complimented the impromptu performance, only for her face to drop when her eyes met Beca's. The deep blue was darker than she had ever seen and they were filled with a pain that Chloe felt in her core. Her best friend was hurting and she was responsible.

Chloe was silent for the rest of the ride, Beca's face burned into her mind. She gave an occasional smile when Emily tried to strike up a conversation but soon the temp stopped trying, knowing Chloe's head was elsewhere, namely on the silent brunette who hadn't moved a muscle since turning away from Chloe.

"Alright you flat butts, we're here!" Amy called as she pulled the bus into the parking lot.

Aubrey glanced out the window, a frown gracing her features. "The lake?"

"Yep," Amy grunted as she climbed out of the bus, opening the doors for her employees to get out. "Grab your guts and find a place over there," Amy directed, pointing at a shady, grass clearing near the water, as every piled off the bus.

Chloe glanced at Beca, watching her move to head straight over to where Amy had pointed. "Beca. Wait," Chloe said, reaching forward and grabbing her friend's hand. She couldn't hide her shock when Beca reacted by yanking her hand free of Chloe's grip.

"What?" Her voice was harsh, filled with a combination of hurt and anger that she knew Chloe didn't deserve but she was unable to stop.

"Can we talk?"

Beca glanced around, noticing that most people were dragging their feet over to the clearing but they still only had a few seconds.

"It'll be quick," Chloe added, reading Beca's thoughts as only she could do.

Beca opened her mouth, readying herself to say no, but she made the mistake of meeting pleading blue eyes. Chloe's eyes were hypnotic and constantly filled with whatever emotion the redhead was feeling. Right now they looked desperate. Beca sighed, dropped her shoulders and giving in. It wasn't like she wanted to be mad at her friend anyway. And it certainly wasn't like she had a reason to be mad. "What Chlo?"

Chloe's mouth flicked into a smile at the nickname. "About last night-"

"It's cool Chlo-"

"No Beca, listen," Chloe interrupted, her voice firm. She could see Amy gesturing at them to hurry. "Last night. I didn't sleep with him."

"What?"

Chloe grinned at Beca's shocked expression. So that was what she had been upset about. "I didn't sleep with him. I promise."

"It's cool if you did. I mean, you are single and stuff," Beca said, but her face told a different story. Her eyes were downcast, refusing to meet Chloe's and her mouth was stretching into a smile without her permission. She fought off the thoughts that told her it was wrong to be so happy that her best friend hadn't had a one night stand, instead just letting herself feel the weight lift off her chest. "So if you didn't…"

"Just a lift. He-"

"Chloe! Beca! Now!"

They both rolled their eyes, sharing a smile, and heading over to their group, enjoying the feeling of the cracks in their friendship being fixed and Beca once again being able to ignore her more-than-friendly feelings for her best friend. "I'll tell you later," Chloe promised, hooking her arm through Beca's as they walked.

Beca gave her a half-smile and tapped their hips together. "Cool," she murmured, forcing herself to keep up her nonchalant charade that Chloe had already seen through.

"Now that everyone is here," Amy began, sending a pointed look to the brunette and redhead, "I have a day choc-full of team-bonding activities planned for us, and before you ask, no, they don't suck like corporate's. These are classic Australian bonding exercises with a hundred per cent success rate."

Aubrey scoffed, rolling her eyes at the fact that Amy was unable to complete a sentence without a dig at her.

"So. First. We need to pair off-"

"I'm with Chloe." The words fell out of her mouth before she could control them. Her face started burning as everyone turned to look at her as soon as she spoke, except Chloe who giggled lightly and squeezed her arm.

An awkward silence fell over the group until Amy broke it, understanding washing over her face. She really should've started watching Beca much more closely a while ago. This situation was getting very interesting. "Right. So we have Bhloe. Anyone else feel the need to be with a certain person?"

"Bhloe?" Beca questioned, accidentally saying the thought out loud and receiving another round of stares.

"You're Beca and Chloe, together you're Bhloe. Everyone loves a good Bhloe," Amy explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Silence. Even Chloe was thrown by that. "Bhloe," she mouthed, turning it over in her mind. "I like it," she decided, looking down at Beca with a wide grin.

Beca rolled her eyes and shook her head fondly. Of course she would like it.

Amy cleared her throat, giving the pair a curious look when they broke away from each other and looked at her. "Alright. Other pairs." Amy started pairing people off, using names like 'Jashley' and 'Staubrey' that made the process take much longer than necessary because of the constant need to stop and explain. Beca and Chloe were the first pair, then Jessica and Ashley, Stacie and Aubrey, Emily and Benji, Jesse and CR, Flo and Lily and finally Bumper and Donald, with Amy as 'squad leader'.

Amy explained the first activity once everyone regrouped into their pairs. "OK. Everyone close your eyes."

"Amy-" Aubrey started, not trusting the Australian.

"Shut it Posen. Eyes. Closed."

Groans and sighs rang out from the employees but they closed their eyes, well, all except Beca who kept one eye open, just in case.

"Good. Now. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, think of your darkest secret, breathe out-"

"What?" Aubrey snapped, everyone flicking their eyes open.

Amy threw her hair back and groaned. "Why must you torture me! I said eyes closed."

"Amy-"

"Eyes closed!"

Reluctantly everyone closed their eyes again.

"OK. You're thinking of your darkest secret. It is so bad that you have never told anyone. It is the type of secret you can't tell your priest. It is horrible. It will send you to county. Let it fill you and overwhelm you. Now… open your eyes and tell your partner."

"Dude. No," Beca barked, eyes wide.

"Yes. Do it. And these secrets better be good. I will know."

"You can't-" Aubrey started, once again trying to talk sense into the woman.

"Do it or we are staying here. These keys," Amy said, pulling the bus keys from her pocket, "Will be lost forever." She was serious. Completely, deathly serious.

More groans and sighs and eventually everyone was turning to each other.

"You first," Beca ordered, a frown on her face.

Chloe tilted her head, chewing her lip and squinting her eyes as she concentrated. "I can't think of anything you don't already know about me. Oh!" Chloe cheered, eyes lighting up as she thought of something. "One time in high school I slept in late-"

"And stole homework from the nerd in class. He got detention and you never told anyone," Beca said, her face blank.

"Oh," Chloe pouted for a moment before her face lit up again. "I know! One Thanksgiving-"

"You were mad at your brother so you dropped a piece of turkey on the ground and tricked him into eating it." Beca's face cracked slightly as she fought to keep it even. Chloe had been so ashamed when she'd told Beca that story one Friday night. In Beca's opinion it was one of the tamest revenge plots she'd ever heard and her heart had swelled imagining a little ten year old redhead dropping a piece of turkey quickly onto the ground in anger, a tiny pout on her mouth and little fists clenched. Michael had totally deserved it though. He'd stolen Chloe's first ever-training bra, frozen it, and used it as a centerpiece. Something Beca would have paid to see.

Chloe rolled her head from side to side, trying to think of something else. "What about the time I-"

"Borrowed your next-door-neighbors bike without asking first and returned it scratched? Prank called your principal? Dropped juice on the new carpet and blamed it on Ricky?" Beca teased, allowing a smirk to cover her face as Chloe's face fell. "Chlo these aren't deep dark secrets. What else have you got?"

"I TPed-"

"Nope," Beca shook her head. She'd heard that one too.

"Stole a street sign?"

"That's hanging in your room Beale."

"I know. It says Titanium Way," Chloe giggled. "One time I shoplifted-"

"A lipstick because your mother wouldn't let you wear makeup yet. You felt so guilty that you returned it, tried to pay, and offered to be their slave if they didn't send you to jail. Come on, don't you have anything worse than something you did when you were eight?"

Chloe pouted. "I'm boring."

Beca rolled her eyes. "Beale. Boring is the last word I would use for you. You are just nice."

Chloe huffed, giving in and accepting the fact that Beca knew all of her secrets. Well… except one… but she wasn't sharing that. "Fine. You go Miss Badass."

"That's Mr Badass to you," Beca joked, earning a giggle. "Well you know almost everything but I never told you about what I did to chase off my dad's whore."

Chloe's eyes widened, a grin splitting her face as she clapped her hands together in excitement.

"Calm down you dork," Beca ordered, a teasing tilt in her voice. "Alright so this chick, Sheila, she worked with dad. I'd never met her and dad never said her name but I knew something was going on because my parents were always fighting about 'her'."

Chloe's smile dropped, her eyes shining with sympathy, and she reached out to link her hand with Beca's to offer silent support even though Beca was putting up a good front.

"Anyway," Beca continued, knowing that if she stopped she wouldn't be able to get through this and it actually felt pretty good being able to finally tell someone. Chloe was the only person she could trust with something like this. Not even Jesse or her dad knew what she'd done. "This one night Mum wasn't home so I stole her car and followed him. It was super cliché. The lights were off, I kept cars between us, and I made sure he didn't see me. Her house was so tacky, like something straight out of some fake 70s housewife magazine. She was just as bad with her high blonde hair and floral clothes-"

Chloe glanced down quickly at her own blue, flowered shirt, pouting slightly.

"Not like you," Beca quickly hurried to explain. "She was this total phony, the type that smile at your face and stab you in the back with their words. You are allowed to wear floral and a freakish smile 'cause that's the real you."

Chloe beamed at the compliment but stayed silent so that Beca could continue her story.

"So I now knew where she lived. I went back the next day, wrapped a letter and some photos around a rock, threw it through her window, and she moved the next week. Haven't heard from her since."

Chloe raised a brow, curiosity shining in her eyes. "What did the letter say?"

"Just some threats about what happens to home wreckers," Beca shrugged, not too concerned with the way she had (most likely) terrified the other woman. "It didn't matter in the end. Mum left."

"So that's why you and your dad-"

"Can barely stay in the same room? Yeah. Well, he doesn't know what I did. He gets sad sometimes, thinking about that skank, but I'm not gonna feel guilty." A dark cloud washed over Beca's face as an image of her father staring at a photo of the blonde entered her mind. She knew that look. Her mum had used it when she looked at her father. Her dad loved that woman. She had ruined that. But he had ruined her family first.

Chloe squeezed Beca's hands, still within her own, drawing Beca from her musings and showing her a smile. "Thanks for telling me."

Beca shrugged, trying to wave it off as nothing. "It's whatever."

"No Beca," Chloe said firmly, her smile dropping in favor of a firm, serious expression. "This was a big deal. Thank you. I'm always here if you want to talk. About this or… anything. That's what best friends are for, right?"

Beca looked up into wide, blue eyes. They were so honest, so full of emotion and care. "Yeah… best friends."

"Next activity!" Amy interrupted, now holding a megaphone no one had seen her carrying. "Scene statues."

More groaning.

Chloe linked her arm with Beca's as soon as Amy announced an end to the 'team-bonding exercises'. "This was fun," Chloe gushed.

Beca rolled her eyes but a smile broke through unbidden. If you would have told her that spending a day in a park with people she barely classed as acquaintances and doing the lamest activities known to man (or crazy Australian) would go down as one of her all-time favorite days she would have socked you in the face, after she'd stopped laughing in your face. Unless of course you'd mentioned that it involved a full 6 hours of one-on-one, uninterrupted 'Chloe time'. Her cheeks were stinging from the uncharacteristic smile that had been etched on her face and her heart raced. Today had been one of the greats. Thanks to her redhead.

Jesse jogged to catch up with Beca as they walked back to the bus. "Today was crazy, right?" He asked, laughter in his voice.

Beca glanced at Chloe, smirking, before glancing back at Jesse. "Yeah. It was something."

Jesse frowned, his brows dropping and his forehead creasing. "Something? It was boring, right? I know you don't like work but even playing Solitaire or whatever it is you do all day is better than pair yoga."

Beca and Chloe shared another grin, irking Jesse slightly that he obviously wasn't in on the joke. "I dunno Jess. The charades were kinda fun."

Chloe giggled and tapped her hip against Chloe's. She dropped a light peck to the shorter woman's cheek before disconnecting their arms so that she could climb onto the mini-bus first.

"Bec?" Jesse questioned, his heart clenching and his mind racing as he took in the slightly glazed over eyes of his girlfriend; eyes that were obviously focused on a part of Chloe that they shouldn't be looking at.

"Yeah?" Beca asked, barely acknowledging him as she climbed onto the bus behind her friend, not even bothering to glance at him.

Jesse sighed, dropping his head and following his girlfriend onto the bus. At least he'd get a chance to talk to her on the bus, maybe even convince her to cuddle. Or not. Jesse couldn't help his pout as he looked up and saw Beca sliding in next to Chloe. She was claiming the window sit and practically sitting on the receptionist as she climbed over her and into the empty seat. Chloe's joyous giggle filled the bus, lifting everyone's mood. Except for Jesse's, as he watched his girlfriend slip even further from his grip.

Jesse claimed the seat in front of Beca, giving Benji a half-smile as he dropped down next to him. "Hey Benj."

"Hey," the magician answered, a bright smile on his face. "Today was fun, right? It was good getting to spend the day with Emily."

"The new girl?" Jesse questioned, twisting in his seat to glance at the brunette who was sitting at the back of the bus with Flo. "Did you manage a full sentence?"

Benji's face dropped slightly. "Well… no… but she was really sweet about it."

Jesse smiled sympathetically and clapped his friend on the back. "Good work buddy."

Benji grinned, before leaning down to pull his iPod and ear buds from his bag.

Jesse took his friend's distraction as the perfect opportunity to try once more with Beca. He rose to his knees and turned so that he was leaning over the chair. His eyes widened and he swallowed his gasp as he saw his girlfriend openly grinning at the redhead as they shared Beca's music, headphones twisted awkwardly so that they could both hear.

"Why don't you just use Chloe's ear phones?" He asked before he could stop himself.

He was met with two sets of surprised blue eyes, immediately feeling like he'd just broken a special moment between his girlfriend and another woman. He had to stop himself from apologizing.

"Oh," Chloe said, the first to realize he'd asked a question. "We will. Beca's mixes just need the full effect of her headphones on the first listen," she said, grinning at her friend with soft, shinning eyes.

Beca returned the grin.

"Her mixes? Bec you let Chloe listen to your mash-ups?" Jesse questioned, hurt clouding his voice. They had been in a relationship for 5 years and best friends before that. He had only listened to a handful of mixing in that time, and four out of five of those were accidents.

"Yeah. She's honest, you know," Beca explained, not realizing that her words were cutting her boyfriend deeply. "Even if her mouth could lie her eyes can't. I know when she hates something."

Chloe gasped. "I would never!" Jesse was sure if she was referring to lying or hating Beca's music but either way it made Beca's face light up.

"Her taste is decent too," Beca teased.

"Decent?" Chloe scoffed. "My taste is outstanding." She flicked red locks over her shoulder, looking every part the model in a hair ad.

"Yeah," Jesse cut in, again interrupting the staring contest the two fell into. "I just wanted to ask if you were free to do something after work today," he asked.

Beca looked at him, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly. "Dude… I have plans with Chloe, remember? We're gonna turn her into a biker chick."

Chloe giggled, pushing Beca's shoulder lightly, while Jesse frowned. "Oh," he muttered, remembering yesterday's fight. "The tattoo. You still doing that Chloe?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

Jesse shrugged. "No reason. That's cool. A ladybug, right?"

"Yep," Chloe confirmed, popping the p. "Matching bug tattoos."

Jesse forced a half-smile onto his face. "Yeah. Cool. Maybe I should get one too?"

"Why?" Beca asked, her entire face scrunching up as if it was the worst thing she'd ever heard.

Jesse shrugged again. "Or not."

"I actually drew some things at the bar last night," Chloe remembered, reaching into her handbag. "Pick the best." She handed the napkin doodles over to her friend who immediately started flicking through them, sometimes smiling, sometimes shaking her head, and sometimes sending Chloe a look that Jesse couldn't read but Beca seemed to understand.

Amy hit a bump and Jesse jumped in his seat, barely managing not hitting his head on the roof.

"Jesse! Sit down!" Aubrey snapped from her place next to Stacie, once again.

Jesse took a second to see if Beca would meet his eye but she seemed focused on the napkins. "Well. I should sit. Maybe we can do something Friday?"

"Not Friday," Beca murmured absently.

"Yeah. Not Friday. I forgot. Again." She still didn't look. Jesse sighed and turned in his chair, sinking into it and resting his head on the window.

Beca's voice drifted over the seat. "Chlo! You totally need to do this one. It's so cute."

"Cuter than me?"

"Nothing is cuter than you."

The answer was so sure, so quick, leaving no room for argument. Jesse clenched his jaw, blocking out the conversation.

"I change my mind," Chloe rushed, eyes wide as she pulled her arm away from the tattoo artist. She was a woman, roughly Chloe's age, and clad in the stereotypical leather. She had twice as many tattoos as Beca and just as much dark eyeliner. She was also twice Beca's height, a fact Chloe had pointed out that caused Beca to frown and pout.

"Chloe," Beca groaned, rolling her eyes. "Stop it. You either get this tattoo or you don't. It is smaller than a penny. Now sack up and do this, or, wimp out and we can go home. Either way, stop wasting this person's time."

The tattoo artist, Marley as she'd introduced herself, smirked. Her smirk was different to Beca's. Where Beca's was nonchalant and menacing, Marley's was completely sexual, more like the smirks Chloe was capable of. So Beca couldn't help but straighten her back and glare as she saw that particular smirk leveled at her best friend. "C'mon Red," the artist said, her voice a gravelly purr that made Beca bristle, "It'll be painless. And if it isn't, well, I'll kiss it better." She added a smirk for good measure.

Beca felt her mouth drop when Chloe responded with a light giggle, returning her wrist to Marley's grasp. "OK. As long as you promise."

"Deal." Another wink.

Beca crossed her arms over her chest, taking a step closer to Chloe so that her side was brushing Chloe's shoulder.

"And tattoos are hot," Marley continued, raising the needle and hovering over Chloe's skin. She'd already marked Chloe's drawing so that she could simply trace it with the ink. "But you're already hot. I hope the world can stand you plus tattoos."

Chloe giggled again, the musical tone turning to a whimper as Marley lowered the needle, pressing it into Chloe's skin. The redhead bit her lip and glanced up at Beca, her eyes watering slightly. "Ow."

Beca's heart clenched. She fought the instinct to punch the person hurting her best friend, instead placing what she hoped was a comforting hand on Chloe's shoulder, but Marley once again earned a glare as she interrupted the moment.

"Don't be a baby. This doesn't hurt."

Beca glanced at Chloe, expecting to see a pout, or a glare, but she was shocked to find a smile. And not just any smile. But Chloe's 'I-wonder-what-you-would-look-like-naked-and-in-my-bed' smile. Beca had been lucky enough to only see it once, aimed at Tom, a worker in the warehouse, after alcohol and a Christmas Party. She'd hated it then but she hated it even more now.

"Meanie," Chloe joked-no, flirted.

"Wuss."

Beca's eyes flew between the two like a Ping-Pong match.

"Bully."

"Sook."

"Tyrant."

"Sexy," Marley grinned, keeping her eyes on Chloe's half-finished tattoo.

"Erotic."

Marley and Beca both raised brows at that.

"Dinner Friday?" Marley asked, dabbing at Chloe's skin, as if she was asking Chloe about the weather.

"Saturday."

"Six?"

"Seven."

"Deal."

Beca felt her heart sink. This was worse than a one night stand.

A/N: Not to self, don't listen to Lana Del Rey while writing… I'm too easily influenced. Ya'll should throw some happy songs at me for writing the next chapter lol.

Anyways… not to worry… Marley won't be a big thing. We all know Chloe is a one-woman girl. This chapter was mainly about getting Jesse to the point that we need him at, and about getting Beca to realise she needs to sack up or lose her girl. But no hate on Jesse please guys. He might be lame in the movies (mostly cause he is in a super unromantic relationship) but I kinda like the goofball. Even if he should butt out and let Bechloe become even more canon than it is now.

A teensy bit more Staubrey along with the Emily/Benji little bit that someone asked for. Keep throwing ships at me and I'll make them happen. I even threw in the Jesse/CR moment for Baffles.

Hope to have another chapter in the near future. Let me know what you think of this and the direction it is heading (I do assure you it will get crazy fluffy really soon). Review, PM, Tumblr (Awesam-blog). Peace.

Shameless advertising: come join the Brittany Snow group on Facebook (It's called Brittany Snow) run by yours truly and my three closest Bechloe friends.