Pixie1913: That's probably his go-to karaoke song.
FromTumblr: Conrad is definitely Chaotic Good.
CatchingUp: Poor Howie.
Mwallace: Maybe. Eventually.
SunDanceQT: All-inclusive.
RJRMovieFan: She is the best mom.
Bechloe-4evs: He is definitely something else to write.
Andiclauds: Maybe they will, maybe they won't.
G: You have to really offend me to earn one of those.
Vickstik: Like Aubrey would allow herself to be WHEELED anywhere.


Dysrhythmia


Stranger than your sympathy,
And this is my apology;
I'm killing myself from the inside out,
And all my fears have pushed you out.
- Goo Goo Dolls


"We can't leave," Aubrey tells them.

"Says who?" Brian asks, "We're 'almost lawyers', we can do whatever we want."

"It doesn't work like that," Aubrey says.

"Why not?" Brian retorts, "It works like that for the police. Are you telling me you want to be stuck in this tiny room?"

Aubrey is definitely done with being in this bed, in this room. She just isn't sure her body is going to agree with getting up.

"Alright, we're leaving without you," Brian says, then looks at Beca, "Let's go…who are you?"

"Uh, Beca?" Beca answers.

"Are you looking for confirmation?" Brian asks.

"No," Beca answers, still looking confused by them, "Dude, I can't just leave Aubrey alone in here. Her mom will smack me - again."

"He's bluffiiiiiiing," Conrad tells her.

"And, now you ruined it," Brian says, "Aubrey, seriously, when have we ever steered you wrong? Remember just a few weeks ago when you decided you didn't want to go see Hamilton, and we coerced you? Let's go."

That isn't fair at all. Aubrey wasn't in a hospital bed that time. She looks at Beca, thinking maybe she'll defend her.

"It might be good for you to get up," Beca says.

Aubrey sighs. She has a choice to engage in a battle of wills against the three people who are almost as stubborn as she is, or get out of this awful room.

Brian starts humming the Jeopardy theme song.

Fine, but only because Aubrey hates that song. She turns and swings her feet over the edge of the bed. Aside from getting up to use the bathroom, she hasn't exactly tried to do much moving. She almost gets up, until she realizes, "I don't have any shoes." Too bad, so sad. Aubrey wins.

"Chloe's mom got us some when she realized ours were beyond repair," Beca says, "Yours are against the wall."

Why does she have to think of everything and be so god damn nice? Aubrey looks around until she locates the simple pair of black slip on shoes. She even got shoes without laces, because Aubrey isn't going to be able to tie anything for a long time. Aubrey shakes her head, and slowly stands up, wobbling on her feet.

Beca is up immediately, ready to catch her.

"I can walk without you," Aubrey informs her. Her legs only feel like jello – that hasn't set yet. She grabs the stupid IV pole and looks at it. She's going to look like an idiot pushing this thing around. "I can't go out there with this."

"You're in a hospital," Brian points out, "Almost everyone is pushing one of those around. We look weird not pushing one – except me, I never look weird, but these other two do."

Aubrey looks at Beca. "This is your fault for agreeing with them," she says, then slowly walks toward the door – feeling even worse that she can't walk at a normal pace.

"My fault?" Beca follows her, "These are the people you chose to be friends with."

"It was not a choice," Aubrey says.

"It was more like an over time kidnapping," Conrad says casually, "The Stockholm is still sinking in."

"I have a lot of questions," Beca says.

"Well, keep them to yourself," Aubrey answers.

"We need a diversion," Brian says, opening the door and glancing out.

Aubrey moves to stand beside him, looking out too. There are police just milling around like they're on break at the police station. "Why are they all here?"

Nobody answers her.

"Con, go get that empty wheelchair," Brian instructs him.

"I don't need a wheelchair," Aubrey refuses quickly.

"It's not for you," Brian says, waiting for Conrad to come back with it.

Then who is it for?

"Conrad, sit down," Brian instructs him.

"Aw, are you going to push me?" Conrad gets comfortable in the chair, trying to sit crisscross.

"I am," Brian tells him, then looks at Beca and Aubrey, "Elevators are to the right."

"That's oddly nice of you," Conrad says.

Brian walks out of the room first, motioning for Aubrey and Beca to follow as he backs up down the hallway.

"Oooh, we're going backwards," Conrad states, "Why are we going backwards? Brian?" He turns to look at him. "Brian?"

Brian stops then jogs forward with the chair. "Stop that man!" he yells as he gives the chair a hard push.

Before anyone has a chance to look their way, Conrad goes careening down the hallway, whizzing past a group of police near the nurse's station, shrieking Brian's name at the top of his lungs – attracting even the attention of people in their rooms, who look out to see who is screaming.

"He'll catch up," Brian says simply, and walks with them to the elevators, "Unless they commit him." He pushes the elevator button.

Aubrey and Beca turn around to watch the scene unfold – cringing as Conrad tries to make a U-turn and tips the entire chair over.

Conrad casually stands up and brushes himself off – then looks up to come face to face with a police man who looks unsure whether to help him or arrest him. He makes a face. "What is that haircut?" he asks, not looking away from him as he walks around him, "Oh, Hunny, no. You need to fix this." He does a circular motion with his finger at the cop's head.

Brian steps into the elevator and holds the door with his foot for Aubrey and Beca. He moves it once they're on and Conrad starts walking toward them.

"Hold the door!" Conrad yells.

"I can't hear you; the door is closing!" Brian calls back, and motions at the door, "Hurry up!"

"Brian!" Conrad jogs toward them, "I told you these shoes were made for the runway, not to run away!"

Aubrey hits the emergency stop button for him, just in time.

Conrad slides sideways through the doors and practically collapses on Beca. He wipes his forehead. "I cannot be arrested," he claims, panting, "Those men in prison would never be able to keep up with me. You know what I mean?"

Aubrey just presses the button to close the doors.

"That was mean," Beca says, looking at Brian, "Like, meaner than Aubrey mean."

"Oh my gosh, that was so much fun," Conrad replies, placing his hands on Beca's shoulders. "You know what's mean? He hid my toothbrush last night."

"I put it in the cabinet," Brian says and presses a floor button, "Where it belongs."

"How was I supposed to know that?" Conrad asks, "I couldn't find it."

"You would have, had you looked where it was supposed to be."

"Well, that's not where I put it, Brian," Conrad says.

"I know, which is why I put it there, because I am sick of it being in my way."

"Okay, this," Beca says to Aubrey, motioning at Brian, "Tall, dark, and semi-terrifying-"

"Pretty sure the word you're looking for is handsome," Brian interjects, and leads them off the elevator once the doors open, "Or exceedingly attractive."

"I understand," Beca continues.

Aubrey arches her brows, waiting for her to continue.

"I need to know how you even crossed paths," Beca says, motioning between Aubrey and Conrad.

"Oh, I come with the package," Conrad answers, "Where there's Brian, there's me."

"It's as terrible as it sounds," Brian says, "It's like having a disease that won't go away."

"Well, if you have that kind of disease, it is not from me," Conrad replies "I get tested once a month."

"Should be once a week," Brian mumbles.

"Where are we going?" Aubrey asks.

"The cafeteria," Brian answers.

Aubrey would rather go back to her room than go there. "I'm not hungry."

"I need coffee," Brian replies.

"Me too," Conrad says.

"I think he needs Ritalin or Adderall," Beca whispers to Aubrey, "Or whatever the opposite of caffeine is."

Aubrey slows down – examining the floor. She has only walked a few feet to the elevator, and then a few feet more, but it feels like she has walked for miles – and she definitely does not want food. She doesn't want to eat it, to smell it, to see it…

"I'll tell you what," Brian says, "You two wait here." He points between Aubrey and Beca. "And we," he points between himself and Conrad, "will be right back."

Aubrey nods. "You can go," she tells Beca.

"No, I'm good," Beca replies.

Aubrey lowers herself to a chair in the hallway and watches them keep walking.

"They're…" Beca says, sitting down on the arm of the chair.

Aubrey looks at her.

"I don't know what I was going to say," Beca admits.

"Why isn't this bothering you?" Aubrey blurts out. Why is she the only one emotionally deflated right now? It isn't just because of her physical condition. It cannot be…

"Your friends?" Beca asks.

Aubrey still just looks at her. She knows what Aubrey means. Her friends are not that bad. A little…unconventional, maybe, but, they mean well. "You, Chloe's mom…" Neither of them seem to be in the same state Aubrey is in.

"Okay, Chloe's mom was an absolute mess before you woke up, and I'm pretty sure she's still a mess outside of that room," Beca informs her, "And, I don't know, Aubrey, I don't feel anything. Literally nothing…" Her voice trails off and she leans her head back against the wall. "It's like a different me was there…"

That sounds like a blessing that Aubrey wishes she had…

"What I do know," Beca says, "Is they don't think Jesse is dead, and that makes me terrified."

"Is that why all the police are here?" Aubrey has a lot of questions – especially ones about Beca's feelings regarding Jesse, or how she doesn't have any feelings. But they're interrupted by Brian and Conrad walking their way again.

"I also know we're about to cram six of us into a two bedroom apartment, and two of those people are your friends," Beca points out, ignoring her question – but Aubrey already knows the answer.

"You're outnumbered," Aubrey points out. Now this is what Aubrey calls 'social justice'. Finally, it's not the world against Aubrey – although, she would take that back now if it meant the Bellas weren't dead.

Conrad marches straight up to Beca and offers her a cup. "Don't ask what it is," he says before she can say anything, "You're going to like it. If I was a Buzzfeed quiz, I'd tell you your favorite coffee."

"Those things are never correct," Beca whispers and hesitantly takes the cup.

"Because none of them were made by me." Conrad takes another cup that Brian is holding and offers it to Aubrey. "Use it to keep your hand warm, if you must."

Aubrey takes it and does exactly that – just holds onto it, staring at the teabag hanging down the side.

"Alright, back to the elevator," Brian directs them.

That means Aubrey has to stand back up. No.

"We can push you in a wheelchair," Brian offers her.

Never. Literally never. In order to get Aubrey into a wheelchair, someone would have to cut off both of her legs, and – she keeps bringing herself back to that deer. She shakes her head, and gets up on her own, gravitating away from Beca as she braces herself like she's ready to catch Aubrey if she falls again.

"I could carry you," Brian tries again.

Aubrey places the pole in between them – which is really difficult, seeing as now she has a cup in her hand. "Well, at least you're already in the hospital if you try."

Beca reaches to push the pole for her.

"Don't." Aubrey gets in her way. She needs some sense of independence. "I can get…wherever we're going just fine."

Beca stops and takes a step back.

They wouldn't want help if they were in her place – except maybe Conrad, who would probably milk it for everything it's worth. It's bad enough Aubrey has to push this fucking thing around to begin with. She's actually ready to go back to her room already…

"We're going outside," Brian says.

"I don't think I'm supposed to go outside," Aubrey says as they approach the elevator again.

"You're in the hospital, not the prison system," Brian says.

With all the police around, it's hard to be sure…

"Even prisoners get time outdoors," Brian pushes the down arrow next to the elevator. "We'll all litter by throwing our cups on the ground, and you can pick them up, if that will make you more acquiescent."

"I have another question," Beca says.

Come on, Elevator, hurry up. Aubrey doesn't have all night. She hopes Beca takes her silence as a cue not to ask it.

"Okay, why is it that you're completely subservient to some people, and then domineering over literally everybody else?" Beca asks, "What is the determining factor here?"

Status. "Height," Aubrey deadpans.

"Seriously," Beca says, "I get the police, but, example, how, out of all of us is 'your' mom the one person who intimidates you?"

Aubrey is not intimidated. "Are you upset because you're at the bottom of the food chain?" she asks.

"See," Beca points out, "I want to see you say something like that to her."

Aubrey would never – at least not when she's calm and not trying to give her a reason to go away. "You say it. I want to see her hit you again. This elevator is taking forever." She imagines slamming the palm of her hand against the button several more times – only imagining it, because she can't actually do it.

Brian gets impatient with the button for her, then Conrad takes over and counts how many times he can press it before the doors open.

Someone steps out pushing a cart with a blanket over it, and, for a second, it looks like they're pushing a dead body – until it just looks like supplies, because that what it is – being pushed by someone in an apron toward the cafeteria.

"You forget how to walk?" Brian asks.

Aubrey turns and looks at them all already standing inside the elevator. She steps inside, between Brian and Beca, and looks down at the floor. She starts to get claustrophobic as the doors close, trapping them inside with no easy escape. What if Jesse is alive and appears once the doors open? The one way in is also the only way out.

"What are you doing?" Beca whispers.

Aubrey thinks she's talking to her, until she looks up and realizes Conrad is beside her, facing the back wall.

"Isn't it weird that we're socially conditioned to turn around once we enter an elevator?" Conrad asks.

Socially conditioned? "It's so you can see the doors open again," Aubrey says.

"You're so smart, Aubrey," Conrad tells her - but doesn't turn around.

This must be how Brian managed to press all the buttons on the elevator earlier without him noticing, and then also leave him there.

"Turn around," Aubrey demands.

"Does this make you guys uncomfortable?" Conrad asks.

"Yes," they all respond simultaneously, with varying degrees of intensity.

The doors open, and Conrad backs his way out – walking right into a nurse. He quickly turns around. "I am so sorry," he apologizes, "These blue scrubs really bring out your eyes."

The man blinks.

Brian grabs Conrad by his arm, and drags him off toward the door.

Aubrey follows, with Beca by her side.

"How do you keep up with them?" Beca asks.

"We don't exactly do a lot together," Aubrey replies. Outside of Hamilton, it's more-or-less just them sitting around. And, much like now, Aubrey kind of just gets dragged along with them. They aren't exactly trying to accomplish a whole lot together – so, what is there to keep up with, or, alternatively if they were trying to accomplish something, be in charge of? She either just tries to pay attention to whatever they're doing, or she doesn't – mostly, she doesn't.

They walk outside, and Aubrey is surprised by how warm it is. Or, well, that she doesn't really become any colder than she already was. Maybe she just got so used to the cold that she can't feel temperature anymore. She stops and actually takes a sip of her tea, just to see what it feels like. It scalds her tongue, then warms her chest and stomach. She takes another drink, just to feel the burning sensation in her mouth again. It's comforting – a lot like turning the sink water or the shower water just a little too hot.

"How is your mouth not on fire?" Beca asks, taking small sips of her own drink.

"How is your coffee?" Aubrey asks, looking at Beca's cup.

"Not bad," Beca answers, "For hospital coffee, it's good. I don't really want to know what he put in it though."

"He's a good barista," Aubrey says.

"I heard my name," Conrad turns around.

Aubrey looks up.

"Why are you two still back there?" Brian asks, "Walk."

Aubrey and Beca follow them to a courtyard type area – where they all gather around a picnic table.

Brian drapes his jacket over Aubrey's shoulders before she knows what he's doing and can resist, then goes to sit down across from her.

Aubrey wants to put her head down. The moment she sits, her body says, 'no more', and the table looks like a very appealing pillow. She keeps it up – her attention drawn to the pain in her shoulder along with how tired she still manages to be. "What are we doing?" she asks.

"While you were gone," Conrad says, "I invested in a new bread maker." He bounces in his seat and waves his hands up and down like he's trying to calm them. "I know, Guys, but conceal your excitement!"

And, what does this have to do with anything?

Conrad lifts his bag and places it on the table. He opens it and pulls out a small loaf of bread, wrapped in saran wrap. "Oh, we should have done this in the chapel!" he realizes, "It could have been like communion!"

Judging by their expressions, they all seem to share the same thought. No.

Conrad unwraps the bread. "I have decided to share my creation with my most loyal followers and…" He looks at Beca. "What was your name again?"

Aubrey almost smirks.

"Beca," Beca answers flatly.

"And with Beca," Conrad adds, and breaks the bread into four.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm already part of a cult," Beca informs him, looking over the bread as it's handed to her, "We're all forced to pretend the world revolves around Aubrey."

There is no 'all' anymore…

"Because she's so bright? Like the sun?" Conrad asks then looks at Aubrey, and hands her bread, "That's ridiculous, Aubrey, we all know the world revolves around Brian."

"If only you remembered to act like it," Brian doesn't seem to take any offense the way Aubrey does.

"Peace be with you," Conrad says, and hands Brian his bread.

Brian lifts it to take a bite, but Conrad smacks his hand, making him almost drop it.

"I said peace be with you," Conrad says.

"Stop talking, and it will be," Brian replies.

"Let's try this again," Conrad says, "Peace be with you."

Aubrey shares and look with Brian, "And also with you," they decide to humor him, and Beca mumbles along, apparently not knowing what to say.

"This is literally the best bread I've ever eaten," Beca comments with her mouth half full.

Aubrey offers Beca hers.

"Seriously, try it," Beca says, refusing to take it.

Aubrey places it on top the lid of her cup, and stares at it. She suddenly just wants to be alone – although, what she really wants is to be with Chloe. They're all talking to her, giving her reasons to eat it, serious reasons from Beca, not so serious reasons from the guys, but Aubrey isn't actually listening. They sound like a crowded room where everyone is talking all at once, and only bits and pieces make sense.

"Earth to Aubrey." Brian snaps his fingers in front of her face.

Aubrey looks up.

"Eat it."

Aubrey picks up the bread and takes a bite so they'll leave her alone about it. Her mouth is too dry to chew it properly, so she has to drink more to wash it down. At least the warmth of her tea soothes some of her nerves – even if it's just barely. She tries to put the bread back down, but Brian stops her.

"All of it."

Aubrey realizes what's happening here now. "How were you put up to this?" Chloe's mom is the kindest person Aubrey knows – and, also, quite possibly, the sneakiest.

"That is a leading question, and I plead the fifth," Brian answers.

"Well, this is a civil case, and I am drawing adverse inference from your silence," Aubrey informs him.

Conrad slams his hand down on the table. "Order in the court!"

"You would need to leave for that," Brian states.

"Ooh, Beca, you be the jury," Conrad says.

"Beca would never make it past the Voir Dire process," Aubrey states.

"I would, actually," Beca informs her, "…just tell me what that means."

"It means you're biased," Aubrey answers.

"Because I want you to eat?" Beca asks, "Dude, if this was a thing, I wasn't even in on it."

"I don't believe you," Aubrey replies.

"I wasn't! How would I have been? At least one of us has been with you since you woke up. You would have heard us talking," Beca claims. She has a point, but Aubrey isn't going to admit that.

"Just eat the damn bread," Brian says.

Next time one of them feels sick, Aubrey is going to force feed them, and they can see how it feels. In her head, she turns and chucks the bread to the birds. But she can't actually do that – not when there is part of her that is appreciative for it. Knowing Conrad, he had probably brought it to share with her before he even knew she wasn't eating. She and Brian are always guinea pigs for new foods – which Aubrey would not enjoy if they didn't all taste so good. "I'll eat it later." She reaches for the saran wrap to wrap it back up, but Brian grabs it.

"Aubrey, come on," Beca says, "Eat it."

Aubrey is definitely already ready to go back inside now. She'll eat it later. She stands up, and places the bread on the lid of her cup again. Her hands are so shaky, it's going to take forever to get anywhere trying to push the pole and keep the bread on her cup – but she'll manage.

"Do you see the things your body is doing right now?" Beca asks.

Aubrey ignores her.

"Have you looked in the mirror at yourself?"

Aubrey isn't sure how she's ever going to be able to look at another mirror again, to be honest. And she definitely doesn't want to see herself right now. If she looks like hell, it's because she spent almost a week there. Her hair is brushed; she's fine. She just needs to score a toothbrush next. She pulls her hand away as Beca reaches for it – feeling embarrassed in front of all of them now.

"Chloe is going to need you to be okay," Beca points out, "What happens when she wakes up, and you're like this – or worse? You have to eat."

Chloe will understand, that's what. Aubrey scrapes the lid of her cup with her thumbnail for a few seconds, thinking. Chloe will pressure her to eat, but she'll also know how miserable Aubrey feels. She picks up her cup, then hooks her arm around the pole to push it back toward the door with her.

"Where are you going?" Beca asks, and Aubrey realizes the three of them are going to follow her.

"Back to my room to be alone, so I can eat this later, without an audience," Aubrey lies, hoping it might deter them. She's going to the only place she wants to be right now - to see Chloe.