A/N: Here's chapter 29 with the flash forwards and probably one of my favorite songs. It's called 'Out of My League' by Stephen Speaks – check out the original version with only the piano accompaniment I promise you it's worth it!
One last chapter to go! Again, during my mini-break of sorts if you need to reach me, have special requests for the other upcoming fic (I can't do anything without a bit of angst, this is my preemptive strike) or if you have any song requests (because there will be songs), just shoot me a message or reach me on twitter or tumblr at thehypotensivegrad. I will reply, I promise. ;)
Sorry if this is a bit shorter than the rest, next chapter's going to be, well, fun in a few ways ;P
I don't own pitch perfect.
Summer, after Chloe's graduation
t's her hair and her eyes today
That just simply take me away
And the feeling that I'm falling further in love
Makes me shiver but in a good way
Beca smiled as she watched Chloe, her eyes shining brightly as she took in the view of the city.
They were in LA when she received the call.
The first of their two week vacation had come and gone, and Beca was thankful to have that time to just enjoy the sights and wonder of the city with Chloe instead of stressing out where to live or planning some great move. They left a few days after graduation with a complete travel plan that includes visiting Beca's mom and step-dad at Portland and Chloe's own parents in Miami.
Yeah, they were having their own tour.
But some of those plans were about to change and Beca didn't even know it when she had answered the call.
Some record label in the UK had magically had their hands on that live-performance cover that Beca had used for one of her mixes to woo Chloe back. The artist, apparently, had heard it herself and was in the process of recording her new album.
It doesn't take a genius to guess who they offered a generous summer internship to.
And so, Beca finds herself in London with her girlfriend for the very first time.
Fall, Beca's sophomore year
All the times I have sat and stared
As she thoughtfully thumbs through her hair
And she purses her lips, bats her eyes
And she plays with me sittin there slacked jaw
And nothing to say
It wasn't always peachy.
And it was slightly harder when they end up arguing over something as stupid as…
…well, to be honest, Beca's already forgotten what she was arguing about with Chloe…
...she just knows she missed her badly.
Sectionals was just a week away and Beca had placed all her efforts in making sure that the Bellas would make it all the way to Nationals to defend their recently acquired title.
She looked back at where she was the past year, trying to re-examine her life choices and dreamed of a life in LA now.
But she knew, she wouldn't have been happy if she was in LA now.
Not without Chloe.
So Beca, ever-so-stubborn Beca, learned that it was better to bend than to break and did what she did best, serenading Chloe on air to forgive her. Chloe was still very much visibly upset when she turned up at her and Luke's apartment.
And while Beca still had no clue at all just how relationships work, had no comprehension at all about what it means to be in one, she knew that love was something that could never be defined, never be explained, and that with it did not come the rules and explanations.
For as long as she had Chloe, Beca knew they can weather all the storms.
They just need to talk things out and listen.
Christmas Holidays, Beca's junior year
'Cause I love her with all that I am
And my voice shakes along with my hands
Yes she's all that I see and she's all that I need
And I'm out of my league once again
It was like a spark of something Beca couldn't understand.
They were in New York that year, Luke's "relatives" from the other side of the world wanted to visit the family and they just so happened to do their mini reunion of sorts in New York.
Emily was with them, along with her parents, and Chloe too.
There had been a constant buzzing coming from Beca's phone, it was just Amy texting her like crazy after being left behind with Stacie and Aubrey at the blonde's shared apartment with Chloe. Beca had been ignoring said messages, mostly because she didn't want to be bothered by what Stacie and Aubrey were doing that was driving Amy insane.
And it didn't matter really.
Her eyes were only on Chloe.
They were on the middle of the ice skating rink at Bryant Park and despite the crowded rink – hell, the whole city was crowded everywhere for Christmas – Chloe still glided on the ice with such grace and ease that really Beca couldn't help but wonder if she really was an angel.
It was there under the twinkling lights, there in the middle of dozens and hundreds of faces, it was there that a thought had crept into Beca's mind.
She loved Chloe, she knew that already, and she also knew she could never live without her.
But this thought that seeded deep within Beca's mind at that moment was entirely new. Because even when she's seen her future with Chloe in her mind, she's seeing a new picture being painted there, a different kind of future she hasn't gotten into imagining about.
Chloe saw her staring at her, but could she blame Beca? She really couldn't help it.
Spring, Beca's junior year
It's a masterful melody
When she calls out my name to me
As the world spins around her
She laughs, rolls her eyes
And I feel like I'm fallin' but it's no surprise
Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears. This always happens and Beca had mastered the art of keeping herself cool.
She acts like she doesn't care, but she really, really does.
She acts like no matter what as long as they'd given it their all, their winners too, but she really, really wanted to win for a third time in a row.
Three years ago, the thought of being in a collegiate acapella girl group would have made Beca scoff. Now it would make her feel warm at the thought of the family she's made with the Bellas.
So when the Barden Bellas were once again crowed the national ICCA champions, Beca couldn't help but be proud of her accomplishment with her friends.
But nothing still could compare to the way that Beca felt every time Chloe rushed up to them, calling Beca's name, and wrapping her arms around the DJ in the tightest embrace. Beca in return would bury her face in Chloe's chest and though she couldn't see it, she knew the redhead was beaming, happy and excited for the Bellas.
She could never really get used to the feeling.
Because more than the rush of winning, more than the rush of performing, the rush that being Chloe Beale's girlfriend was something else that was definitely out of this world.
Fall, Beca's Senior Year
'Cause I love her with all that I am
And my voice shakes along with my hands
Cause it's frightening to be swimming in this strange sea
But I'd rather be here than on land
Yes she's all that I see and she's all that I need
And I'm out of my league once again
Beca huffed, staring at her computer screen for the last two hours wasn't exactly her ideal way of spending the afternoon.
Chloe was still at work, and she felt bad that she had to cancel their late afternoon plans when she gets off because of her internship at Residual Heat. Her summer experiences at London and LA for the past few years, working for different labels had certainly secured a wonderful opportunity for Beca yet again, but this time, it was just a little bit harder.
You'd think she was used to this by now, but no, she isn't.
She's running around everywhere, very much tempted to give up her Midnight DJ gig as she struggled to keep up with juggling everything, her studies, internship, radio station gig, and her relationship, much less do anything for the Bellas as they jumped into the unfamiliar territory of preparing for the Worlds after Amy's little incident.
And now she lacks the inspiration to do anything, like she was in a standstill, a dreamless sleep she just couldn't wake up from that it's starting to frustrate her even more and more and more.
Sometimes she wonders how it is she's still holding on when everything seemed to be unraveling right in front of her, with the Bellas doing one trainwreck of a performance after the other, and her internship threatening to swallow her whole through sheer intimidation of the new kinds of sharks that were surrounding her.
Not to mention her lack of trash talk skills that ends up making Chloe jealous every single time they encounter the she-wolf leader of Das Sound Machine.
But just as Beca feels like she was barely holding on at the end of her rope her phone rings, and she hears Chloe's voice.
Somehow, no matter how strained their relationship feels like now with everything being thrown their way, she still knows just what to say to keep Beca going. Chloe was always there, especially when she needed her the most.
And once again Beca couldn't help but wonder how lucky she was to have Chloe in her life.
Spring, Beca's Senior Year
It's her hair and her eyes today
That just simply take me away
And the feeling that I'm falling further in love
Makes me shiver but in a good way
All the times I have sat and stared
As she thoughtfully thumbs through her hair
As she purses her lips, bats her eyes
And she plays with me sittin there slacked jaw
And nothing to say
Strange arguments – arguments that she hated by the way, because every time she fights with Chloe, Beca somehow feels as if she was simply hurting herself – insane teambuilding exercises born out of the machinations of Aubrey Posen's mind, and a rendezvous with a bear trap later, Beca felt lighter than ever before.
They were gathered around the campfire, the Bellas just having found their sound yet again, really mostly thanks to Chloe if anyone would ask.
Her eye catches Chloe's and she couldn't help but get lost in those ocean blues starting back at her. Somewhere in the background of it all she could hear the Bellas squealing and teasing but whatever they say gets lost on her.
All she sees is Chloe's eyes, her smile, and her ways.
All she knows that actually exists is Chloe.
"If that isn't love, I don't know what is." Emily sighed contentedly before getting up and following the Bellas who slowly got up and Beca wasn't sure if she was talking about her and Chloe or Amy who suddenly felt the urge to go get Bumper back or something to that effect.
On the way through the woods as they followed Amy, Beca reached out to Aubrey, pulling her aside for a moment.
"I might need your help with something, you think you're up to it, Posen?"
"What is this about Mitchell?" Aubrey asked suspiciously and Beca simply smiled.
Somehow Aubrey understood what she had wanted to say without the need of words.
Worlds, just after…
'Cause I love her with all that I am
And my voice shakes along with my hands
The Bellas, they just won a worldwide acapella competition, the first time their own country had won said competition.
And Beca had been feeling all kinds of high at that moment, partying like there was no tomorrow in their hotel room with Bellas of all ages.
"Are you okay there Shawshank? You look like you're about to have a heart attack." Amy said, wrapping her arms around the DJ's shoulders.
"Relax a bit Beca, the night's still young. Besides, if you stare too hard, Chloe might just melt with the intensity of your stares." Stacie then said, bumping her shoulders against Beca.
Beca chuckled, "Yeah, sorry, just…" Beca tried to say as a reply, trying to fight her nerves.
"You have tonight Beca, and a full day ahead once we land. Don't freak out too much about it." Stacie said.
"And, we all have your back, so you know for sure nothing will go wrong." Amy then added with a wink.
Cause it's frightening to be swimming in this strange sea
But I'd rather be here than on land
The memories of the night before had been all but a blur but Beca knew in her heart of hearts that she was happy. She could still feel the mix of all the emotions she had felt since performing on stage with the Bellas for what could possibly be their last official performance ever.
"Glad to see you haven't fled yet, Mitchell. This is the last chance I'm ever giving you. The moment we land and get everything all set-up, there's no running away." Aubrey said, slumping down the seat next to her. They were still at the airport, waiting for their flight back home. Stacie had dragged Chloe off to explore some of the nearby shops close to their gate with Amy and Emily in tow. "Are you nervous?"
"Like hell, yes." came Beca's immediate reply. She was never going to be ready for it.
For years of knowing Chloe Beale, four years of a relationship together and whenever they kissed she still took her breath away, whenever their hands grazed each other, the butterflies in her stomach would still go wild. She's only gotten used to it really, adjusted to a reality where it felt normal to feel all those things.
And she'll perhaps never feel solid ground again, but she didn't care if that meant that Chloe would be there with her always.
"Just don't spontaneously combust Mitchell." Aubrey said with chuckle.
"I won't." Beca replied with a certainty as she picked out Chloe's face in the passing crowd, and her way to return with a few souvenir bags along with their friends. "It's all I've ever wanted and all I've been waiting for." she then said before standing up to stretch her legs, looking back at Aubrey.
"Yeah, I know. I can see." Aubrey replied with a smile.
No turning back now.
But there was no way in hell she would be running away.
Yes she's all that I see and she's all that I need
And I'm out of my league once again