Chapters will get longer and I write slow most days so bear with me. Again, I don't own Pitch Perfect or proper German grammar and context.

3
A week had gone by fast for Beca. School was keeping her busy not to mention the appearances and regular duties of being the leader of the Bellas. Thankfully the internship work picked up so she had not much down time to sit around. That meant her interactions with anyone from DSM was slim to none, especially the Kommissar. Every time she saw the woman she was dressed intimidatingly and professional. Every time Beca stared too long and met the woman's gaze there was a smirk to greet her before Beca looked away.

She had not learned to reign in her curiosity to the taller woman. Beca tried to connect the lead singer of DSM's Kommissar to the woman she saw almost daily. In any video of DSM the Kommissar seemed the most stoic. And that was saying something since she was almost always accompanied by the tall dark haired man, Beca found out his name, Pieter. When Beca saw Kommissar she was professional and all but would instantly offer a smile to Beca. Though, she found it to be teasing and condescending, like she knew what was wrong with Beca's mix. Yeah, she still was not over that even though she had finished the mix and rehearsed it with the Bellas.

Of course they loved it and wanted to perform it right away for a small appearance they were requested to make at a frat party. It was one of the "elite" ones, whatever the hell that meant, and the Frats wanted to make a show of their Halloween Bash Party. Beca really wanted to turn it down but as soon as Chloe, Stacie, and Fat Amy heard 'frat' and 'party' they were in. Beca's lame excuses to get out of it were quickly dismissed and she set it up. She groaned just thinking about it.

She liked a good party every now and then like any other college kid but she hated the sober parts. The time between getting there and being blissfully buzzed and sandwiched on the dance floor between Bellas was an awkward nightmare. If a Bella was not with her she automatically sunk into a corner away from prying eyes and eager conversationalists. Beca did not bother getting to know anyone else. She had her friends that were sort of forced on her and she had Jesse, sort of. She halted her movements at her desk then.

Was she suppose to see other people or act like she was still taken? Were they technically still together or broken up? It was an important thing to just kind of leave out of that conversation but they somehow did it. Beca huffed and lightly shook her head at that. Way to be mature adults.

"Venting with your thoughts still makes you look crazy, little one." A familiar voice sounded behind her. She nearly jumped at the sudden interruption and maybe a tiny squeak escaped her lips. She really did not want to deal with whatever this woman was going to say.

"I'm just thinking."

"What about? It looks like it is causing you pain to think on it." She said with a small turn of her lips.

"Did you just insult me?" That was not what she wanted to say. Especially not in such a sharp tone. Beca reigned it in, a lot, the woman was still a client.

"I would not say I did." Beca squinted at Kommissar's nonchalant shrug.

"That's not a no."

Kommissar leaned against Beca's desk, she was so close. "No, it is not." She smiled and it almost looked predatory. "What were you thinking on?"

Beca had to think on her response. She had to be professional here but everything Kommissar did was casual. Maybe she's actually down-to-earth. Or she's bored and wants to mess with me. Wait why would she be bored? "Aren't you suppose to be recording an album right now?"

Kommissar looked put off by not getting an answer to her question but she responded quickly. "We are in the long process of it, yes. Today was another meeting on arrangements of one of the songs. DSM members have strong ideas and wants for this particular album, however, so does the label and producer here."

Beca could practically see the irritation roll off the tall woman. She never had to deal with recording a whole album so she did not understand but could see how it would suck to have it drag out. She was more of a get-it-done-now-or-very-soon kind of mixer. If her inspiration was strong, of course, but then again Beca never had to deal with pleasing several people at once. The Bellas loved practically anything she came up with. They mixed well together like that.

"I wouldn't know what that's like but it sounds tiring."

"Ja, es ist. DSM has fifteen members and I try to include everyone's ideas but that gets very…trying."

Beca scrunched her eyebrows. "Why not just make a big mix out of it or like a medley. If it's something they want to do for fun let them at it. Get it out of their system and make it out to the fans. Like 'DSM Favorites' or 'DSM Top 15 Songs Now'. I see a bunch of those on youtube." Beca shrugged, most she could not listen all the way through because her mixing mind became too analytical but this was DSM. If anyone could make a bunch of random songs interesting and good to listen to, it was them. Beca would definitely not say anything to Kommissar like that though.

There was a long pause where Kommissar seemed to think on it and apeared to be surprised by Beca's suggestion. In turn, Beca was surprised the blonde was considering it for as long as she was. "That is actually a good idea, little one, danke."

"Seriously?"

"Ja. Why do you seem surprised by my words?" There was an adorably confused look on her face and Beca shook that thought away quickly. What the hell?

"It's just you didn't seem the type to accept outside help. You know, being the Kommissar and all." Beca felt silly for voicing her thoughts.

"Usually that would be the case but this particular issue has worn me down. A group of fifteen will do that to you." She cracked a small smile.

"I believe you. I only deal with seven girls but trying to get them to focus sometimes…" Beca trailed off not sure how to describe it.

A full smile graced the blonde's lips then. "Ah, so you are in a group. Tell me about it." Kommissar seemed to light up with interest and curiosity. Beca felt excited to capture the woman's zealous attention but she did not understand why. She did not usually talk of the Bellas at work because people here had never been in acappella and would dismiss it pretty quickly. Kommissar was practically a professional acapella singer though.

"Well, we're called the Barden Bellas. I've been with them since my freshman year, I'm sort of the captain, and I do the music arrangements. Chloe, she's kind of my co-captain, does the choreography." Beca let out in a long breath. She was unsure of what to say or how to describe the Bellas. She decided to just stick with the basics.

"How many sets do you preform in a school year?"

"Well, it varies. We have set up an annual thing with the school and a few local groups and businesses to perform but other than that it's kind of requests only. Then again we have the ICCA competition performances to do as well. Sometimes it's pretty crazy on top of school and showing up here." Beca nodded slightly, very surprised she had talked so much. Usually she would mumble out a sentence when people asked about what she did in the school year. She figured it was the fact that Kommissar understood leading an acapella group that drove her to unleash her thoughts.

"That I understand well, the craziness of a schedule sometimes. It must be exhausting for you." By her tone, Beca was unsure if Kommissar was trying to goad her again but she shrugged it off.

"Not really. It's great to mix music and perform it live. The Bellas keep it fun and…interesting too. I swear they try to turn any gig on campus into a party." Beca lightly shook her head as she thought back on Fat Amy and Stacie trying to get everyone hyped up at a departmental function for professors.

"That does sound interesting." There was a long pause where Beca did not know what to say. She felt that Kommissar was also in her predicament but stayed silent and waited. "Since you do the music for your group, I must ask you to assist me in the arrangements for a project in mine."

Beca did not expect that to come out of Kommissar's mouth. "Wait, what? A project like a song?"

"That is what music is in our field, is it not?" Beca could hear the sarcasm and sass but let it slide. She was still too shocked. Before she could find words Kommissar spoke up again. "The project is the idea you came up with so I am sure you can handle it."

"The medley thing?" That was something she had not done before. The most songs Beca has mixed at once so far is probably four or five and that was just a line every now and then. She knew that would not be the case for this project though.

"Ja. You will help me. I assume you are good enough but seeing as how I have not witnessed your skills I am not certain." She bobbed a shoulder and tilted her head in a way that Beca knew was to throw her off. The light gleam in her eyes portrayed more of what she really meant.

I bet she's still on my mix she listened to. I bet she thinks it's still not good…not good enough for the almighty leader of DSM. Hmmph. Beca would definitely show her. "The Bellas have a gig on Halloween on campus. If you come you'll see exactly how good I am."

By the slight raise of eyebrows and pause in the woman's breathing Beca knew she caught her off guard. She internally celebrated that fact and cocked her eyebrow in return. Kommissar eyes darkened with the challenge as she leaned ever closer to Beca. "Well how could I refuse coming to witness that?" Her voice was deeper and almost a whisper and it sent a chill down Beca's spine.

To cover up her own body's betrayal, she moved to grab a sticky note and pen to jot down the address of the Frat house and a general time the Bellas would show up. She leaned back in her chair, trying to portray cockiness, as she handed the paper over. Kommissar took it without breaking eye contact with Beca. A smirk reappeared on her features.

"Well, Bella niña, I will see you there." Kommissar repeated Beca's action on a new sticky note. When she finished she just slid the pad closer to Beca. "And see you tomorrow for the project arrangements. I am curious to see how you handle all of DSM."

With that she strode away, again, leaving Beca quietly baffled. She quickly reached for the pad and saw a time and meeting room for tomorrow. Great, what the hell did I get myself into? She was excited and dreading tomorrow at the same time. Beca took a drink from her water bottle to quench her suddenly dry tongue. Did Kommissar speak Spanish? She thought as a man's voice sounded behind her.

"Hey, did you just switch phone numbers with the DSM chick?"

Beca sputtered and spit her water out all over her desk. She was mortified that actually happened as well as shocked the guy asked such a question. "What?" Beca quickly grabbed some tissue from her bag and mopped up the water. God I could've gone my whole life without actually doing that! As she did that she turned to the guy. "No! That's not what happened!" Beca frantically explained.

The guy Beca knew as Frankie held up his hands defensively. "Alright, calm down. I didn't mean to give you a heart attack…or drench the whole floor. It just looked like she was flirting with you from where I was sitting." He shrugged and walked off.

Beca mindlessly finished cleaning off her desk, thankful that she did not get her laptop. It was not the idea that a woman would hit on her that shocked Beca so much she forgot how to swallow but the fact that it would happen at all. Beca was oblivious to certain things and the dating social thing was definitely one of them. Jesse was the first person that Beca knew for a fact was trying to woo her, but to be fair he was not subtle at all. She would have to be blind and deaf to not notice it. Here though, with Kommissar, Beca was straight up lost. That's not what she was doing.

Resolute in her beliefs that Kommissar would not be interested in her like that, Beca finished up the rest of her work day. She had been quietly contemplating and freaking out about what songs the DSM members would want to put in a medley. If they even would go through with the idea. Beca quickly wondered if it was a democracy or Kommissar had final say in all things. Pushing that aside for her main worry that she would be unable to mix songs she had no understanding of. Sure, she could get the gist of it from Kommissar but Beca always wanted to get a feel for a song she was mixing. It had to mean something to her. Maybe it would be enough for the songs to mean something to someone in DSM. She did not have to think too much about it as she made her familiar journey home. The Bellas had rehearsal for the Fraternity gig.

The mix she started last week was for future Bella use but just recently was altered for the Frat guys. In her eyes the pre-party entertainment did not need a stage quality performance. All Beca had to do was throw in a couple of Halloween type songs and it was good enough. Though now that Beca knew Kommissar would be there she kicked herself for trying to half ass this particular mix.

Later that evening, two hours into rehearsal, Stacie held Beca firmly by the shoulders. "Beca, enough! We got it." It was rare that Stacie complained about rehearsal or its physical activities. "Stop trying to change things too. It sounds great how it is." She crossed her arms and looked down at her leader. The other girls voiced their agreements from around the rehearsal space.

Chloe came up to Stacie's side and eyed Beca softly. "She's right, Becs. It's great. We should take a break."

"Alright." Beca said lamely, trying to act like it did not bother her. In truth, DSM's leader was still plaguing her mind. "Ten minutes then we'll run it through one more time." Bellas moved about to their seats at the bleachers and began going through their stuff, getting water bottles and phones.

Chloe followed Beca over to a standing piano Beca used as a table. Beca went to her mixing program where their current mix was waiting. Before she could play it from the beginning, again, Chloe placed a hand over hers. "Becs, what's up? You're acting weird."

"No I'm not."

"Come on, Becs." Chloe took Beca's hands in hers and dragged her to the piano's stool to sit. "Tell me why you're fussing over this song more than you usually do. And don't try to deny it because you've never made changes after giving it to us." Chloe sat patiently and Beca knew she would sit there til midnight unless Beca talked to her. It was the Chloe way.

With a deep sigh Beca tried to explain while avoiding details. "Someone at work heard me mixing this song." Chloe waited still for Beca to explain because she did not make the connection. "It wasn't even done yet. I literally started on it an hour before and I let them listen and…I don't know." Beca finished, not knowing how to describe what she felt.

"What'd they say? Who was it?" Chloe slowly asked.

"Just someone new to the studio. They didn't really say anything but they implied that they would change things." Beca huffed out getting annoyed again. "Which is stupid because I wasn't finished yet."

Chloe rubbed Beca's back soothingly knowing the brunette would let her get away with the physical contact. "Okay I get it. Maybe what that person meant was more of helpful criticism than saying you weren't doing a good job. I assume they know a lot about music too?" With a small nod from her friend, Chloe continued. "It could be they wanted to help. Don't you think you'd say something about someone else's mixing?"

Beca thought on it for a quick moment. She would not do that because that seemed rude and she hated talking to people but the producer in her would be itching to correct things she wanted to. "Yes but only if I knew the person. That woman is practically a stranger."

"Try not to take it so personally Beca." The redhead gently nudged Beca in the side and gave her a wide grin. "Besides if it wasn't finished then it certainly is now and you've had time to perfect it. It really does sound awesome. We are going to blow them away at new-frappe-crew."

Beca chuckled. "That's not the name."

"Oh it doesn't matter. We're going to blow minds and then party." The redhead beamed.

"As long as that's the only thing you blow." Beca mumbled knowing full well Chloe could hear her.

Chloe gasped silently and let her eyes comically widen and her mouth stretch into O. She poked Beca in the side again more firmly. "You might be spending too much time with Amy and Stacie." She joked.

Beca chuckled dryly. "Don't you mean you too." Beca tried to slap the offending hands away. They both quietly laughed at their antics as Fat Amy walked up to them.

"Alright, easy with the girl on girl stuff, shawshank. You don't want to get Red excited." That made both women instantly drop their hands. Beca groaned at Amy's meaning and Chloe narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "What?"

"Very funny, Amy. Me and Beca were having a serious talk but then started talking about Halloween."

Fat Amy clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh yeah I am pumped for that. I'm pre-gaming a whole day in advance if you guys wanna join in."

Beca looked at her disbelieving. "I would die if I did that."

Amy shrugged and Chloe shook her head. "No, I mean about the performance. The one we were just practicing? Though the after show activities should also be discussed." Beca recognized that super focused serious look, that reminded her scarily of Aubrey, and she knew Chloe was set on something. She stood to speak loud enough to get the girls' attention. "Bellas, fall in!"

They looked annoyed that their break was cut short but quickly moved to stand around the piano. Once Chloe knew she had their attention she smiled to them. "Since our gig is at a frat and on Halloween I think some plans need to be made." She said lightly and all girls knew what was coming. "What are we planning to wear as a costume?"

The Bellas smiled at the redhead with a renewed vigor as they chatted away about their ideas. Beca groaned loudly, even though it was lost in the dull roar that was the group of girls, and dropped her head to the keys in front her. The disjointed melodic keys alerted Chloe to her captain's distress. She rolled her eyes at the short woman.

"Don't be so dramatic, Beca. It'll be fun. We can dress you in all the black your grumpy, emo heart can stand." She chimed in happily.

Still with her head on the keys Beca mumbled out. "I'm not emo. I'm socially awkward." She lifted her head to glare at the ginger. "And I hate costumes."

"I got you into costume last year, Mitchell, don't think I won't be able to do it again." Chloe said sternly.

Beca's eyes widened slightly. "Dude, that was straight up blackmail!"

Chloe smiled smugly but returned her attention to the group that were focusing on coordinating vampire costumes. Beca shuffled away to her laptop, hoping the distance would exempt her from the plans, and started the mix over. It started how it originally did when Kommissar listened to it but the bass beats became louder. After a few bars of Beca's favorite Muse song, the opening notes of Michael Jackson's Thriller came through. It was a give in to include it for Halloween. The modern bass beats mixed well with the old classic but before it became too predictable Beca started the chorus of Eminem's The Monsters. Beca already knew Cynthia-Rose knew Rihanna's lines so it was an easy transition. Beca covered a part of the rap of that particular song while the others continued the beat and Thriller. Soon after Beca and Chloe harmonized softly a few lines of I Put A Spell On You. The song slowed it all down nicely as the Bellas would slowly fade down and Beca would deliver the final notes.

There was no room for big choreographed moves in a crowded backyard so they kept it to simple steps and hand gestures. They really did have it down but Beca kept thinking if she should repeat Monsters or Thriller more. Then she wondered if she should make Lily project louder. The beat boxer could make herself heard when she wanted but the beats needed to pack a punch. Even with Chloe's messed up vocal chords, that seemed to be a bass at odd times, the sound was not exactly where Beca would like it. Again, she thought of DSM's bass singer and wished the Bellas had a guy in the group.

Beca looked over to the group of girls chatting about how they could possibly dance in a slutty vampire costume. Beca smiled to herself, she would not change them one bit and she was glad it was just them. Looking at her finished mix and another Bella original set, Beca realized that this was what she did. She has been damn good at it too. Two acapella trophies proved that to her and anyone else that asked. She had to show that Beca Mitchell confidence and damn what Kommissar thought. She just hoped that Bella confidence helped her out tomorrow with DSM.