A/N: Hey guys! Here is the calm before the storm that is chapter 7 featuring Bechloe, a dash of Staubrey, and the bromance that is Amy and Stacie… and Luke?

Thanks for all the support so far! You guys are amazing readers as always! :D Reviews and comments are always very much appreciated.

Enjoy :3

I don't own pitch perfect.

"Hey this is WBUJ 85.7, music for the independent mind, and I'm your favorite Midnight DJ. We're currently hitting the last hour of the show. First off, I want to say thanks to my amazing listeners, you have been amazing. That said, we have another caller to join us right now." Beca said after the last song on her set had finished. It was two in the morning, she had been snacking on cookies that Amy gave her – it's like she's been packing her midnight snacks every night since she and Stacie came clean about knowing her gig – and she also managed to do some side studying.

And on that note, eww, studying.

But with the Fall Mixer coming up, Aubrey has upped Bella's practice to four to five hours a day, meeting at different one to two hour intervals, and with everything else that Beca was doing, she had to study whenever she could find time.

Even at the radio station.

"Hey Midnight DJ, it's me again." she heard Chloe say through the line, immediately making Beca smile.

"Hey there Ms. Beale. It's a pleasure to have you again on the show." Beca said and heard Chloe chuckle.

"Again with the Ms. Beale? It's Chloe. Just call me Chloe."

Beca smiled even more. She was trying to avoid saying her name on air. Stacie and Amy kept teasing her that she has a way of saying Chloe's name that makes it sound like the redhead was a goddess.

"You always say it like it's the most wonderful word, with reverence and awe." Amy had said.

"Or more like with love." she then thought Stacie say.

But that would be ridiculous.

Right?

She barely knew Chloe, or at least Beca reasoned.

"No, I like calling you Ms. Beale." Beca teased. "But what can I do for you?"

"Can I make another request?"

"That's your third one tonight." Beca snorted.

"What can I say, I love your show? And don't pretend you don't like it."

It was Beca's turn to chuckle. "What song can I play for you Chloe Beale?"

"Stolen, Dashboard Confessionals."

"And for who might this be?" Beca then asked. She couldn't help it, she didn't mean to pry but whenever Chloe calls for a request she never tells for who the song was or something unlike most of her callers. Stacie and Amy never did either but Beca was slowly getting an idea to whom Stacie's requests are for and boy was she not going to open that can of worms.

Amy would just requests songs she thought Beca would like.

If not out of this world songs that some they didn't even have.

She's had some of the Bellas call in with different requests too but they've always been vague about who the song is for or if it is for anyone to begin with. When's party music, she really doubts it for anyone.

Shockingly even Aubrey has called.

And even more shocking is that the blonde drill sergeant knows songs from the modern era.

"Would it really matter if it's for anyone at all?" Chloe asked in a soft voice.

"Just wondering." Beca answered truthfully.

"Then let it be for you, cause you're an awesome DJ." the redhead replied before they ended the call and Beca played the requested song.

We watch the season pull up its own stakes
And catch the last weekend of the last week
Before the gold and the glimmer have been replaced
Another sun soaked season fades away

You have stolen my heart
You have stolen my heart

Beca smiled listening to the song. The thought that Chloe decided in the end to dedicate it to her made her happy.

Don't be stupid Mitchell. She doesn't know it's you, she's dedicating the song to the Midnight DJ.

Beca leaned back on her chair. Practice was still hell, but at least she gets to spend time with Chloe. The choreography is a little lackluster – but Beca blames the song more for that part – and their uniforms just horrific, but at least Chloe's always there to help her out, make jokes and all.

Invitation only grand farewells
Crash the best one of the best ones
Clear liquor and cloudy eyed
Too early to say goodnight

You have stolen my heart
You have stolen my heart

It was funny. It felt like Chloe was something so close to her but too far to reach. They have years between them, and Beca knew she'll be leaving soon.

Technically, you'll be leaving soon too Mitchell, Beca reminded herself.

But it didn't stop her from feeling sad about it.

She knew she'd miss Chloe when that day comes.

And from the ballroom floor, we are in celebration
One good stretch before our hibernation
Our dreams assured and we all will sleep well
Sleep well

Like there was this pain in her chest that she couldn't understand, so she buried the thought for now.

That overwhelming sadness of one day having to see Chloe go.

And the knowledge of the hole that it would inevitably leave in Beca's life.

You have stolen my heart

The day of the Fall Mixer had arrived and Stacie was most definitely looking forward to it.

Except there wasn't really much about it to look forward to.

Their performance was abysmal, to say the least.

Aubrey was back on her Aca-Nazi drill-sergeant role after the most humiliating experience of their respective lives.

Beca looked a bit indifferent about it. "You don't seem like you're ready to die from what happened Beca." Stacie whispered as they made their way back to their rehearsal space.

"I wasn't really expecting a stellar performance Stace, our team still lacks chemistry." Beca had replied.

But that indifference soon faded after Chloe made the announcement about her nodes. Beca's face fell for a microsecond before she went back to her normal disinterest self.

They had a brief meeting afterwards, making plans on how to best make use of their remaining practices to prepare themselves for sectionals. Beca dodged out as fast as she could afterwards, although for a split second she seemed to have wanted to comfort Chloe or talk to her at least but Aubrey was already there for her friend and Beca wasn't exactly to happy about it.

Especially since days before their tragic debut, Aubrey and Beca had once again had an argument about that Treble boy, Jesse Swanson, which of course prompted a group discussion sans Aubrey, Chloe and Beca.

Jessica and Ashley were in support of Aubrey's suspicions about Jesse having a thing for Beca but they disagree that Beca has a thing for Jesse. Cynthia Rose thinks Jesse is too nice to be in a guys only acapella team. Amy and herself are just point blank annoyed at him at this point – he's tried to invite himself over at Beca's dorm room for movie marathons because she doesn't lie movies and he wants her to see the error of her ways. Amy was shocked at this revelation but let Beca be, Stacie was on a mission to at least get her to watch a movie herself… But nonetheless, they kept this information from the Bellas for now. Denise thinks Aubrey was being mean on purpose because maybe she liked Jesse. Stacie grimaced at the thought. She swears she thinks Lilly said something along the lines of castration…

Their little group dinners at Amy and Beca's room had started to occur more frequently. Instead of Thursdays, it became every day. It was Stacie's turn to pick up the tab and she had just gotten back from the diner when she saw Beca busy at her computer as always.

Except this time, all her screens were on different webpages about vocal nodules.

Stacie quickly exchanged a look with Amy who was equally smiling as she was. Beca was just being too sweet.

It was their usual thing. Beca would sit through their dinner as silent as always, but she was always listening. She would comment on a thing or two, sometimes on a class, sometimes on the brutality of Bellas rehearsals. There was a time when she got back from her DJ gig and brought with her snacks and they stayed up an hour longer to just talk.

That was when Beca really started opening up, that is, without giving much details.

She let slip that her parents divorced – which, given by the fact she had a step-brother, was already a dead giveaway. She did however tell them about how she first got along with Luke and how he took her to get her first tattoo. That was pretty much it, but she was opening up still. And that meant something.

That night however, all Beca could talk about was ways they could all help Chloe out.

"I know Chlo loves to sing, but she needs vocal rest. We really need to do something about this. You know, ease the pressure off her." Beca said as she munched on her fries.

"Don't worry, we'll try to come up with something on our own. Do you have any ideas yourself?" Stacie replied.

Beca shrugged. "I don't know. She shouldn't really be singing now. We'll come up with something."

Amy smiled and once again exchanged looks with Stacie while Beca was distracted with her phone.

The rest of the night was spent by trying to come up with ways of helping Beca help Chloe while listening to Beca's show.

In all your silver rings
And all your silken things
That song you softly sing – is keeping you from breaking
It's a long way down
It's a long way
Back here you never loved
You've shaked the shivers off
You take a drink to get your courage up
Can you believe it
Just this once
Just for now
And just like that
It's over

"This would be easier if Aubrey isn't freaking out every moment." Stacie sighed.

"Well maybe you can help in that department, loosen her up a bit?" Amy asked with a chuckle.

"It's not for the lack of trying, Amy." Stacie replied dryly.

"If that's the case, then maybe we should also start planning of ways to help you and the hunter out." Amy commented and Stacie simply rolled her eyes.

She wasn't going there, at her failed attempts of trying to get Aubrey to notice her.

The only time she ever did was whenever she tried to exaggerate dancing provocatively to get Aubrey to come and correct her steps.

Don't turn away
Dry your eyes, dry your eyes
Don't be afraid
Keep it all inside, all inside
When you fall apart
Dry your eyes, dry your eyes
Life is always hard for the belle of the boulevard

So Stacie convinced herself, for now, they focus on Beca and Chloe.

The Bellas decided to throw a party for themselves and a few good friends that weekend. They needed a whole lot of cheering up to do.

"Just pull along whoever you can, come on Beca, it'll be fun!" Chloe said in her usual cheery tone.

So what else could Beca do?

Really, she had no choice.

The problem is she really didn't have any friends to bring so she ended up convincing Luke to come to what Aubrey had dubbed 'the best aca-party' ever, which was lame but in an effort to not place more stress on Chloe, she just nodded along. Of course, she did not tell Luke about any of this.

Not until he suddenly stopped a few feet away from Aubrey and Chloe's apartment building.

"I know this place." Luke said flatly. "I have been to parties in this place. They were never fun Beca."

"You know Aubrey Posen?" Beca asked in disbelief. "I feel for you man."

"Yes. You really should. And for four years too." Luke replied. "So you're bringing me to a party with your friends. I'm honored. Although I'm still puzzled as to why you've agreed to this. You'll be leaving in a few hours for your shift."

"Yes, well, that's a second reason why I brought you. You can come up with something like an emergency we both need to get too. The Bellas won't know I'm their favorite DJ, the other freshmen inters won't know you gave me a show of my own, and most importantly, my dad won't find out about the whole thing and go on about you being a bad influence, distracting me from studies with late night shifts and all."

Luke shrugged. "It was the only way I can get you a show. He can yell at me as much as he likes if he finds out. I'm standing by you Beca." he said as they got through the door.

Which, thanks to the fact that the party that Aubrey had going was probably the dullest party ever – it was just the Bellas, a few guys from a frat somewhere, some with their respective dates too, and of course, there was shower guy who he saw somewhere in the kitchen talking with his dude bros.

"Standing by you?" Jessica asked a little shocked before looking at Beca, and Beca wasn't sure if she was shocked on the fact that she brought Luke along or the fact that she brought an actual human being other than herself to a party.

At least that's how she understood it.

"Luke! You are not crashing this party! Not after the last time." Aubrey screeched as soon as she saw the tall blond coming in with Beca.

"Oh my God, what happened last time?" Amy immediately asked before Luke waved a hand at both her and Stacie.

"I might have dated three other Bellas within a month of each other and the party where they all invited me was… well… it had disastrous results." Luke explained and Beca chuckled.

"That's why you are not welcomed here Mr. Casanova." Aubrey fumed. "And hang on, how do you know each other?"

"Oh Beca, came in with him." Ashley answered before anyone else could give any explanation.

"Who came with who now?" Chloe asked, popping out her own room to join her friends and stopping Beca short of breathing when she saw her.

Luke laughed.

Luke totally caught that, Beca could tell.

Her step-bro placed his arms tightly around Beca, much to her annoyance, and grinned. "Me. They're talking about me Beale. See, Becky here thought of inviting me to your party."

"Becky?" Cynthia Rose asked all amused.

"Luke!" was Beca's immediate indignant reply and he laughed a little.

"Sorry, but seriously, call my sister that and she'll bite your head-off."

"Sister?" Chloe asked all wide eyed.

"Step sister!" Beca then said, more towards Luke who kept dropping that part.

Needless to say the party got more interesting after that. Luke volunteered to use his playlist for party music "Because let's face it Posen, your taste in music is too blah." he jokingly said making Aubrey more infuriated than ever.

Although the Bellas immediately warmed up to the idea of Luke being Beca's step-brother. The attention was mostly placed on him, which was perfect, Beca hated being under the microscope for the most part, and she was free to just slip away and hang out with Chloe. There was an added bonus of Luke essentially pushing all of Aubrey's buttons too that it feels nice to have the blonde have her fury focused on someone else.

And again, that meant Chloe didn't have to referee the whole night through.

She and Beca could just hang.

With Beca placing much emphasis on that word since she really didn't want to know what spending time with Chloe should be appropriately called since, well, spending time with Chloe was different.

It was always different.

But much to Beca's disappointment, Chloe was right next to shower guy for most of the night. He wanted to dance, but Chloe pulled him to go someplace else – that was pretty much all the information that she got from Jessica who saw them leave.

And once again, Beca was asking herself what she's doing sulking on Aubrey and Chloe's couch.

"You're going to have to leave soon." Luke said as he sat down next to her. "I can leave with you if you want, or I can tell your friends I asked you a favor and you'd be back soon."

"I'll be back between three and four in the morning." Beca pointed out. "They would be gone by then."

"Shows you what you know about the Bellas." Luke said smugly. "If anything, just wait until Aubrey really starts drinking."

Beca quirked an eyebrow at Luke who kept his mouth sealed, realizing she won't get anything out of him, Beca decided it was time to slip away and head over to the radio station, choosing to trust in Luke's words and promising to back later on.

But with the thought that Chloe won't even be there, that she was somewhere else with her boy toy was enough to drive Beca insane.

Whatever, she had three hours to think about it.

Aubrey was too busy with everything and everyone else, as Amy noticed.

She interacted with the Bellas, she talked to each one of them.

But it would seem that she was just being the gracious host.

She was actually surprisingly popular with other people, hence Stacie sulking at a corner, still nursing the same drink she had when they got there.

"Why don't you go let the hunter have fun and ignore the fact that Aubrey is ignoring you for now? At least you're hitting to birds with one stone." Amy said, hating to see the fact that Stacie was a little out of character.

This 'crush' that had kept on insisting was just a crush was already crushing her.

It's time to make a move.

Stacie shrugged and finished her drink. She went to the kitchen to grab some more with the promise to consider what Amy was talking about.

Stacie was looking a little bit down. Beca was also looking a little bit down, what on earth was in the water that's causing all her friends' hearts to break?

"Need my help?" Luke asked as he showed up next to Amy.

"Now, now, I promised Beca…"

"I was being serious. Beca is a whole other problem, but how about we help your other friend out?"

"Ah, that's also a big problem." Amy commented.

"How come?" Luke asked with keen interest.

"I think she's caught in the same trap as Beca, but for the blonde not the redhead." Amy said, nudging Luke with her elbow before nodding towards Aubrey's direction. She was finally alone

Luke quickly scanned the room looking thoughtful for a second. "Oh, well you just leave that up to big brother Luke here. I can give them a nudge at the right direction." he then said with a wide grin.

Amy looked at him curiously as he stepped towards his iPod and changed the song. "Alright guys, find a partner and let's change things up a bit."

Everyone looked curiously at Luke for a minute before the song started to play. Cynthia Rose immediately asked Denise to dance with her, but even with that, the number of guys to girl were still off. By Amy's count, if the cool step-bro dances with her, Stacie would have to dance with Aubrey.

What day is it? And in what month?
This clock never seemed so alive
I can't keep up and I can't back down
I've been losing so much time

But things went a little off plan when most guys rushed towards Stacie and asked her for her hand to dance.

So Amy came to the rescue and asked for Stacie to dance forcing everyone else to look for other partners. Amy shot Luke a glance that he easily picked up. Soon Luke asked a very reluctant Aubrey for a dance and not wanting to be the only girl standing in the corner of a room where everyone else was slow dancing with someone, Aubrey said yes.

All of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right
I'm tripping on words
You got my head spinning
I don't know where to go from here

Luke made his way to Amy and Amy did the same thing, when they got to each other, Luke immediately released Aubrey and asked Amy for a dance, leaving Aubrey and Stacie awkwardly standing in the middle of the living room surrounded by couples and friends who were all paired up. Amy and Luke dance close to them to keep an eye on their current 'project'.

Form the looks of it, thinks seem to click in Stacie's mind and she immediately pulled Aubrey into her arms. "Hope you don't mind me asking you for a dance." Amy heard her say.

Something about you now
I can't quite figure out
Everything she does is beautiful
Everything she does is right

Aubrey chuckled, it sounded so light and carefree that Amy was a little surprised by it. "Just no groping Conrad." she replied, her tone sounding light and playful.

"I'm not one to ruin a moment Bree."

'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do, nothing to prove
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you

Luke and Amy once again exchanged looks.

That's one point for their matchmaking skills.

Beca decided to head back to her dorm, mostly because she found that being reminded that Chloe was with someone else a little too painful and she's not that much fond of being a masochist.

Although she did know that she had no right to be hurt by Chloe being with someone else. Beca reasoned that she just didn't like shower guy, that Chloe – sweet, kind, caring, smiles brighter than the sun Chloe – deserved so much more than him.

She was just being a caring friend. Beca reasoned.

But then why did it bug her so much that Chloe was with him right now? Why was it driving her insane that Chloe didn't call, not even once, during her show that night?

She really didn't want to think about. She really didn't want…

"Chloe." Beca uttered completely taken off guard by the presence of the redhead. She was graciously leaning by the door of her and Amy's dorm room, a bag of drinks in hand. She smiled lightly at Beca, acknowledging her presence. "How long have you been standing there?" Beca quickly asked, taking the bag from her and opening the door to their dorm room without a second's hesitation so that they can step in.

"Quite some time actually." Chloe answered truthfully. She sounded tired but sober – so no drinking then, not yet at least. "Where were you Becs? I would've texted you but my phone died and you were sort of just gone when I got back at the apartment."

"Where did you go in the first place?" Beca asked awkwardly as she settled down on her usual spot on the floor and got the contents of the bag out – mostly chips and surprisingly nothing alcoholic, just cans of soda. Beca didn't know whether she was curious, hurt at the thought of Chloe leaving with shower guy to God knows where, or…

…well…

…jealous.

"Never mind." Beca quickly then said. Before looking up at Chloe. She was still standing by the door, smiling down at her. The faint glow of the moonlight only making Chloe look even more ethereal that Beca was sure she had forgotten to breathe. She patted the space right next to her and Chloe obliged. The redhead grabbed the bag of chips and Beca sorted out the drinks between the two of them before quickly tuning in to Luke's own show, keeping the volume down. They sat there in comfortable silence for a while, stealing glances off each other before Chloe finally broke the silence.

"So tell me something I don't know about you Beca?" the redhead asked.

"Only if you promise to do the same thing."

"Okay. Let me go first then." Chloe offered, with a gentle smile on her face. "Hmmm, let's see, when I was younger I tripped and hit my head on a brick road. I had to get stitches." she said, ghosting a finger over the scar on her forehead.

"I think it's endearing." Beca said without even thinking. "Did you hate it?"

"Growing up with a scar on your head can be tricky. I admit, it made me insecure for a little while but it made me feel strong in the end I guess. Like I have my battle scars and it was proof that I survived something tough. How about you little miss badass? Any scars?"

"Nothing you can see, thankfully." Beca said in a whisper before almost regretting the sentiment behind her words. She almost panicked, trying to figure out a way to explain herself properly to Chloe when she felt the other girl gently grab her hand. Chloe gave it a light squeeze as she smiled lightly at Beca, no judgement in her eyes.

"You don't have to talk about it." Chloe said with quite possibly the gentlest voice Beca has ever heard but the heartbreak was evident.

"No, no it's okay." Beca found herself saying. "It's not like I tried… you know… it's just, I've thought about it."

Chloe nodded and somehow Beca eased up a little. "My parents got divorced when I was young and, well, it was just. It was hard, I think, for me. My dad just sort of left and I never got an explanation why, and…" Beca started to say before taking a deep breath. "It took time before I ever got over it. I'm still out over it. I felt abandoned Chlo, I felt like there was something wrong with me, or that maybe I was some sort of anomaly, like I shouldn't be and if maybe, just maybe I didn't exist my parents didn't need to fall apart. And, it just, it took time. It's taking time. I had to pick up the pieces of my broken heart along with my mom's and… I'm happy she found love again, you know? I'm happy I got to meet Luke and we ended up being good friends."

"For what it's worth, you're not an anomaly Beca. Some people aren't simply meant to be. I think they could have handled things differently but if they stayed together, it would have just been for the worst."

"I know that." Beca said with a sad smile. "It still left a mark. I mean, I am all sorts of broken inside."

Chloe looked at Beca, never taking her eyes off hers and Beca felt like she should look away, but she couldn't. She wanted too though. She didn't want to have Chloe see the mess she hid behind your walls.

"I don't think you are Beca. You have scars, everybody has scars, but you're not broken. You're just you." she said in a soft voice. "And if you're an anomaly, then so what? The world's a bit screwed up right now that I think an anomaly is exactly what it needs. Someone extraordinary like you."

"I'm not extraordinary Chloe."

"I beg to disagree." Chloe then replied.

Somehow the two of them managed to stay up for another hour more simply just talking to each other and listening to Luke's program before Chloe started nodding off. Beca had to admit, she ended up doing most of the talking just this once, sharing stories about high school Luke and their misadventures. She talked about her mom, and her not so bad step-dad that hasn't given upon getting her out of her shell, and of course about her own dad who reached out just a few years ago and her step-monster… err… step-mom.

Chloe ended up completely falling off to her side, leaning onto Beca as she finally dozed off.

You by the light is the greatest find
In a world full of wrong you're the thing that's right
Finally made it through the lonely to the other side

Beca smiled lightly. Opening up to Chloe seemed to have lightened the weight of her heavy heart. It was like she could finally start breathing again, and she didn't even notice she was drowning. She didn't look it, but Beca was actually pretty strong, or at least strong enough that she managed to lift Chloe up and tucked her into her own bed. "Sleep tight Chlo." she whispered before grabbing an extra pillow and blanket. She decided to set up on the floor in case Amy gets back at any time and wants her bed.

You set it again, my heart's in motion
Every word feels like a shooting star
I'm at the edge of my emotions
Watching the shadows burning in the dark,
And I'm in love and I'm terrified.
For the first time and the last time
In my only life.

"I know you're asleep Chlo, but…" Beca started to say. "I guess, I … well… I just wanted to say I'm glad I met you. You're making me not regret coming to Barden. You're a very special person…" she continued to say before yawning herself. Sleep taking a hold of her.

"…very special to me…" Beca mumbled before dozing off herself.

Chloe pulled the sheets around her closer, tighter, before taking a peak out of her tired droopy eyes to see Beca finally falling asleep on the floor.

And this could be good, it's already better than that
And nothing's worse than knowing you're holding back
I could be all that you're needing if you let me try

She was feeling quite a mixture of emotions with all that Beca shared. She felt happy that Beca opened up to her and that she was getting to know her more and more. But it also broke her heart to hear that Beca was hurt that bad by things she couldn't possibly have had control over.

You set it again, my heart's in motion
Every word feels like a shooting star
I'm at the edge of my emotions
Watching the shadows burning in the dark
And I'm in love and I'm terrified
For the first time and the last time
In my only

It made sense though. Why she was guarded, why Beca barely trusted anyone. But she trusted Chloe. She chose to trust her and all that Chloe wanted to do was hold her, make her feel loved and whole and better, to protect her for as much as she could, to promise to never leave, because she won't ever. She would choose to be by Beca's side for as long as she'd have her.

But it did make her heart swell when she heard it, when she heard Beca say that she was very special to her.

She was someone very special to Beca Mitchell, and that meant the world to her.

I only said it 'cause I mean it
I only mean it 'cause it's true
So don't you doubt what I've been dreaming
'Cause it fills me up and holds me close
Whenever I'm without you

Because of course Chloe knew, she saw the signs and she couldn't deny it. She couldn't fight it.

She knew that it was inevitable. That there was something about the tiny brunette that she just couldn't place a finger on until after she realized why she got all messed up inside at the thought of Beca disappearing in the middle of the night to be with the Treble, Jesse, or that she got upset every single time that Aubrey brought it up.

She was jealous.

Jealous of something she didn't have any claim on.

And all she could do was pine away, try to send her a message through songs on the radio in the hopes that she was listening to it too, that she's thinking about her too, that maybe she'd think the songs she requested were for her

Because even if she didn't have any claim on Beca's heart, she knew that Beca had hers.

If possible, a part of her knew the moment that she first met Beca.

You set it again, my heart's in motion
Every word feels like a shooting star
Watching the shadows burning in the dark
And I'm in love and I'm terrified
For the first time and the last time
In my only life, life, life
In my only life

She knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was falling in love with her.

Songs featured in this chapter: 'Stolen' and 'Belle of the Boulevard' by Dashboard Confessionals; 'You and Me' by Lifehouse; 'Terrified' by Katherine McPhee (ft. Zachary Levi)