- Part 1 -
Arrhythmia
I'm not ready to make nice;
I'm not ready to back down.
I'm still mad as hell, and I don't have time,
To go 'round and 'round and 'round.
It's too late to make it right;
I probably wouldn't if I could.
-Dixie Chicks
"Oh my god." It's Chloe who breaks the silence that lingers for far too long. She covers her mouth with her hand and takes a step back, bumping into the log. Aubrey isn't sure when exactly she or Chloe (or anyone else, for that matter) stood up, but everyone is suddenly on their feet - gaping at Beca and at Bumper sitting on the ground.
Beca grimaces and clutches her fist, pivoting on her heel away from Bumper and massaging her knuckles. "Shit," she hisses under her breath.
Aubrey is still trying to process that she punched him.
"Am I bleeding?" Bumper mumbles through his hand, which he presses against his mouth and nose. He pulls it back and looks at the crimson liquid on his hand. "Yeah." He nods. "Yeah, I'm bleeding." He holds his hand in the air. "I'm bleeding!" No one moves to help him.
Aubrey glances at him for a fraction of a second before her gaze is drawn back to Beca. She realizes that her mouth is wide open and quickly closes it. It occurs to her all too clearly that Beca may have punched him due to their talk. But that is all that's clear. The rest of her thoughts are racing so quickly that she can't pinpoint a single feeling linking to that possibility. She just stares at her.
Jesse is the first one to approach Beca. He closes the few feet of distance between them - the perplexed look on his face only growing more and more pronounced. His forehead creases, as does the area around the corners of his eyes. He makes a slight hand-motion in Bumper's direction and doesn't say a word. Instead, his lips just purse together in a silent, 'What was that about?'
"We talked about this, Beca," Dr. Mitchell's voice booms all too suddenly. He storms across the beach in her direction, drawing everyone's attention.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Beca answers and glances in his direction. "That conversation we had when I was five? 'Don't hit people, Beca, it's not nice?' See, I paid attention." She looks back down at her knuckles. "Jesus."
"You're not a child anymore, Beca," Dr. Mitchell scolds her. "You're getting married. It's about time you stop acting like a kid."
"Are you serious?" Beca looks up and straightens her posture. "You're yelling at me in front of about fifty other people," she points out. "If I'm not a child, maybe you should stop treating me like one." Her voice raises. "Did you stop to think maybe he deserved it?"
"Bec..." Jesse starts and moves to touch her arm.
"Get off, Jesse." Beca shoves him away. She looks at her father again and laughs incredulously. "You're unbelievable." She turns and storms across the beach - in the direction that Aubrey had met her in earlier.
"I'm fine," Bumper calls out and finally pushes himself to his feet. He raises both hands in the air and turns in a circle. There is blood streaming down his face. "I'm fine, by the way."
Chloe moves her hand away from her mouth. "Beca!" She walks after her, following her across the beach. Aubrey is hot on their trail without a second thought - and, with a glance back, she realizes so are the other Bellas. The exact reason she's following Beca is unbeknownst to her, but, for once, it has absolutely nothing to do with Chloe. She picks up her pace.
Beca stops a distance away from the bonfire and turns to face Chloe. "Dude, he had it coming," she explains.
"That doesn't mean you hit people, Beca." Chloe slows down and walks in front of her. She shakes her head and pries Beca's hand away from her knuckles. She lifts her hand by her fingers and examines it. Aubrey doesn't understand how Chloe so quickly seems to dismiss the incident in the kitchen from her mind just to make sure Beca is okay. Or how Beca appears to do the same.
"He had it coming," Beca repeats. She looks over at Aubrey out of the corner of her eye as Aubrey comes to a stop beside them. She gives a half-nod - not quite enough of a gesture for Chloe to notice, but Aubrey sees it. And it's enough to confirm that Beca punched Bumper in the face for her.
Aubrey's jaw goes slack. She wants to ask her why. She stares at her and searches her expression for any clues to an explanation, and she wants to get her alone again and ask her what the hell she was thinking. Her lips part in confusion, because why would Beca Mitchell stick up for her? There is a sudden rush of safety that she feels as though she hasn't felt in days. She can't decide whether or not she hates it. Her panic dwindles and she forces it to take a chunk of her pride with it. "Thank you," she mouths silently so Chloe doesn't hear.
Beca locks eyes with her but she doesn't mouth anything back. Aubrey knows that if she did, Chloe would notice. Beca looks away from her and back at Chloe, who is examining her knuckles closely. "Am I dying?" she deadpans.
Chloe's lips twist into a small smile. "I don't think so," she answers. She lifts Beca's hand and lightly presses her lips to Beca's knuckles - the same way she kissed Aubrey's injured arm. Beca stiffens and doesn't relax until Chloe pulls away and pats her hand. "I think you'll be okay," Chloe informs her lightly.
Beca looks over as the rest of the Bellas finally start to catch up with them. Chloe turns her head as well. Aubrey's eyes linger on the two of them for a fraction of a second longer - partially noting how Beca doesn't actively pull away her hand. It absently drops to her side and Chloe slowly lets it go. Aubrey closes the distance between herself and Chloe on autopilot, grabbing her hand and lacing her fingers. She latches onto her without fully realizing what's she doing, most of her mind on Bumper while the rest doesn't want Chloe being intimate with Beca. 'You don't want to be left out' flitters through her head, but she quickly dismisses the thought as foolish. Her hand subconsciously tightens around Chloe's.
Chloe looks up at her. She offers a tiny, puzzled smile and squeezes Aubrey's fingers.
"That was badass," Cynthia-Rose states immediately, clearly impressed, as she's first to catch up with Beca, Aubrey, and Chloe. "You almost knocked that boy out."
"Badass," Amy repeats, panting for air, as she brings up the rear. She pauses for a moment and bends over with her hands on her legs to catch her breath. She lifts one hand and offers her fist toward Beca. Beca fist bumps her with the hand she didn't use on Bumper.
Aubrey has still yet to figure out Fat Amy and Bumper, and that action doesn't make it easier. Did Amy just fist bump Beca for hitting her boyfriend? She purses her lips together and furrows her brows. If anyone were to ever lay a hand on Chloe, they would regret even having hands. (Not that Chloe is her girlfriend.) She just doesn't understand Fat Amy and Bumper.
Lilly murmurs something. Aubrey has no idea what she said, but it distracts her from Amy. She glances up at the rest of the Bellas. She notices immediately that two of them are missing. She does a roll call in her head. Jessica and Ashley. She rolls her eyes in frustration even though they're not her concern anymore.
Chloe stands silently beside Aubrey, also scanning the other Bellas - but there isn't a clue in her expression as to what's going through her mind. Surely not roll call.
"So why'd you hit him?" Stacie pipes up. She folds her arms across her chest. Aubrey's gaze snaps in Beca's direction.
Beca opens her mouth to speak, but Aubrey isn't sure if she trusts whatever excuse she's going to use - despite that she already told Beca that Chloe doesn't need to know about any of this. "We should get back to the bonfire," she cuts Beca off before she has a chance to say anything.
Beca points a thumb in Aubrey's direction.
Is Beca actually agreeing with her without argument? Aubrey pulls her head back and watches her out of the corner of her eye. She decides there will be time for suspicion back at the fire. She turns back to the rest of the Bellas.
"I'm bored at the fire," Stacie complains and looks off to the side, toward the water. "I'm bored here."
"Me too, Beca," Cynthia-Rose agrees.
"What?" Beca asks.
Stacie nods. "We're bored."
Beca sighs. Her arms hang limply at her sides. "Amy?" she asks and looks at her. "Are you bored?"
Amy waves her hand in a 'sort of' motion and nods her head.
"Chloe?" Beca asks more hopefully and turns her head.
"Of course, I'm not bored." Chloe shakes her head and tries to sound convincing. "I'm having tons of fun." Aubrey gives her an A+ for effort. Now if only she would put that much effort into laundry, buying healthy groceries, dishes, picking her wet towels up off the bathroom floor...
Beca breathes a laugh and looks away from Chloe and at everyone else. "Really?" she asks. "You're at the beach on an island."
Stacie just shrugs.
"You can go swimming," Beca states and stretches her arm out toward the ocean.
"All day, Beca?" Cynthia-Rose asks.
Beca slaps her hand down against her side and clenches her jaw - gritting her teeth.
"Beca, it's not really that bad here..." Chloe shrugs her shoulders. "You're just really busy and you haven't given us a lot to do."
"You want me to put you to work?" Beca asks and stares at her.
Chloe gives a half-shrug. "There really isn't much else to do here…"
Aubrey frowns and looks down at her - still unable to comprehend why she would want to be so involved in Beca's wedding.
"Fine," Stacie pipes back up out of nowhere. She crosses her arms in front of her and grips the hem of her shirt then pulls it off - revealing a red, lace bra underneath. She drops her shirt on the sand.
Beca glances over and her and then does a double-take.
"Stacie!" Aubrey hisses and lets go of Chloe's hand. She closes some of the distance between them and grabs Stacie's shirt up off the ground. "What are you doing?" she demands.
"She said go swimming." Stacie lifts her leg and slides the back of her sandal off her heel then kicks off her shoe and removes the other one as well.
"Put your shirt on." Aubrey firmly shoves the shirt at Stacie.
Stacie straightens herself up and unbuttons her pants.
"You know, swimming's not a bad idea, Aubrey," Chloe cuts in.
"Chloe, keep your clothes on." Aubrey pushes Stacie's shirt against her chest and lets it go. It falls back into the sand. She crosses back over to Chloe and grabs the bottom of her sweatshirt before Chloe can lift it up over her head. "There are Trebles and Beca's and Jesse's families right over there." She motions toward the direction of the bonfire with her free hand.
"Lighten up, Aubrey." Chloe stands up straighter and leans in so their noses are touching. Her breath reeks of beer. She rolls her eyes. "It's not like you've never gone skinny-dipping before."
"That was different," Aubrey argues, keeping her voice low so none of the other Bellas can hear her. "And that was one time." Chloe's fingers move to unbutton Aubrey's pants. Aubrey pushes them away. "This is a bad idea, Chloe." The sound of a zipper attracts Aubrey's attention and she turns her head to see Amy's pants fall down around her ankles. "Fat Amy!" She expects the four remaining Bellas to side with her, but they all just stand there uselessly.
"You can't really boss us around anymore, Aubrey," Amy says - almost hesitantly. She glances around at the other Bellas for support. They all look in opposite directions. Amy kicks her shoes and pants off.
"Relax, Aubrey." Chloe presses a kiss to her cheek. She takes three steps back then crosses her arms in front of herself and peels her sweatshirt off - followed by her t-shirt. She reaches her arms behind her back and fiddles with her bra strap. "Can you unlatch this?"
"Chloe!" Aubrey yells.
Chloe cringes and looks down. She unlatches her bra herself.
Aubrey's throat goes dry the moment Chloe's bra hits the sand with her shirt and sweatshirt, and Chloe straightens up. She's seen Chloe's breasts and toned stomach enough (in public, even), but never under the moonlight where the shadows try to draw her in for a closer look - almost taunting her to trail her fingers along Chloe's smooth skin and explore what she can't see. Chloe obliviously unbuttons her pants then pauses and absently scratches the bridge of her nose.
Aubrey shakes her head and turns to look at Beca - clenching her jaw and glaring hard. She expects Beca to be staring at Chloe, but instead, she's focused on the sand at her feet. "They can't go swimming in the nude, Beca," she admonishes. In no way does she need help wrangling the Bellas back in, but this is Beca's fault. Beca should take care of it. "They can't go swimming at all; it's dark and they're drunk."
Beca lifts her head with a sheepish, closed-lipped grin.
Aubrey looks away from her and her jaw nearly hits the ground when she realizes that Lilly is already completely naked. Her gaze snaps to the only two Bellas (aside from Beca) left dressed - Cynthia-Rose and Denise. "Do not take your clothes off," she warns them.
Cynthia-Rose stares hard at her for a moment then heaves a sigh and rolls her eyes. She tugs her shirt up over her head - and Denise immediately follows suit.
Aubrey tries to make words. Cynthia-Rose is supposed to be one of the reasonable ones. "Cynthia-Rose," she addresses her calmly and smoothly - forcing a smile that she hopes will convince Cynthia-Rose to listen to her. "This is completely -"
"I can make my own decisions," Cynthia-Rose replies tersely and drops her shirt next to her feet.
"I'm going swimming," Chloe announces out loud.
Aubrey spins around just in time to see Chloe's panties hit the ground. She's not going to listen later when Chloe is complaining about sand being in places where sand should not be. "No, you're not, Chloe," she argues. "You're putting your clothes back on."
"Jesus," Beca cuts in. "Let them have some fun, Aubrey."
Aubrey turns her head. She folds her arms across her chest. "I don't see you taking your clothes off, Beca," she points out, "Good ahead, and join them."
Beca's eyes widen to the size of silver dollars. "Dude." She takes a step back.
Aubrey's brows raise at Beca's reaction. She turns to face her fully. "I know that you know how to swim," she states. "Chloe said you tried out for your high school's swim team."
Beca side-glances toward the water. "I didn't make it," she retaliates.
"But you almost did." Aubrey takes a step forward. Maybe Chloe rambling about Beca isn't always such a bad thing. "So you can take your clothes off and go out there and make sure none of them drown."
Beca moves backward again and adamantly shakes her head. "No."
"Then convince them to stay out of the water and put their clothes back on," Aubrey all but demands.
Beca turns to face the Bellas - who are on their way toward the water. "Guys!" she calls after them in a pathetic, half-hearted yell. Not one of them turns around.
Aubrey raises her eyebrows again and motions with her hand in the direction of the water. "For serious, Beca, get them back here!" she commands.
"What am I supposed to do?" Beca growls. "Drag them in one by one? Yell 'shark'?"
"Yes, Beca," Aubrey snaps back. "That is exactly what you're supposed to do."
"Jesus Christ," Beca mutters and faces the water.
"Oh, maybe He'll help you walk on the water to go retrieve them," Aubrey suggests in feigned amusement and rolls her eyes. She tightens her arms across her chest and turns away from Beca.
"That's not..." Beca sputters. "I...Dude, you go out there."
Aubrey scoffs at the idea. "You're the one who suggested they go swimming," she reminds her.
Chloe stops at the edge of the water where the waves are lapping the beach as the rest of the Bellas wade out until the water is up past their waists. She inhales deeply enough that Aubrey can see her shoulder muscles tense then stretches and arches her back, sliding her hands down either side of her spine until their heels dig into her lower back and the pads of her fingers press against her rear. "Are you two coming or what?" she calls. She looks over her shoulder and glances at Aubrey and Beca then turns around again with a slight huff and folds her arms.
"It's cold, Chloe!" Aubrey tries to develop an excuse that Chloe might actually listen to. "And you're drunk."
Chloe turns her head again and gives Aubrey a once over that almost convinces her that her clothes might be see-through. She lifts her shoulder in a half-shrug then follows the rest of the ladies out into the bay.
Aubrey's arms fall limply down by her sides. This is not defeat. She glances at Beca out of the corner of her eye and realizes that Beca is just staring at the ocean. And that now she's stuck with her alone again. Not even in a situation where she can ask about Bumper without the risk of being overheard. She turns her head and stares hard at Chloe's silhouette. The Bellas' voices and laughter echo across the beach. She inhales deeply then exhales.
Beca makes an annoying clicking noise with her tongue and momentarily leans back on her heels. There is the sound of splashing water and then Chloe's shrill giggle.
Aubrey clenches her jaw. It's not as though she has to take all of her clothes off to go out there and watch over Chloe. She immediately dismisses the thought. She's not even thinking about going out there. Although someone sober should probably be out there making sure no one drowns. It just shouldn't be her. No, she is more than content standing in silence next to Beca. She frowns and glares at Beca out of the corner of her eye.
Beca glances at her then does a double take. "I'm not going out there," she states.
Aubrey stares her down.
Beca shuffles a few steps to the side. She looks at the water then glances at Aubrey out of the corner of her eye.
The corners of Aubrey's lips twitch. If she wants something done, she's going to have to do it herself. She scowls and roughly grabs the hem of her shirt then tugs the material up over her head, because someone has to go out there and make sure no one drowns.
Beca utters a laugh of surprise. "Are you serious?" she asks and takes another step away.
"Dixie Chicks serious," Aubrey bites and folds her shirt then bends over and places it on the sand - uncomfortably aware that she is standing next to Beca in her bra. "Someone has to go out there." She stands up straight and swallows thickly as she kicks off her shoes and unbuttons her pants.
Beca raises her brows and stares at her, breathing out another laugh.
"Pick up your jaw, Beca." Aubrey shimmies out of her pants and folds those as well. "You've seen me in less."
Beca's mouth shuts immediately.
Aubrey straightens up and debates whether or not she's going to take off her bra and panties. On one hand, if she leaves them on, she's going to have to deal with putting her dry clothes back on over them. On the other, if she takes them off, she's going to have to shamefully walk naked across the beach in front of none other than Beca. She chooses to leave them on. "If you're going to stand here and be useless, watch my stuff." She crosses her arms in a futile attempt to hide her bare stomach and strides across the sand - the ocean breeze sending chills down her spine.
"Seriously?" Beca calls after her. Out of the corner of her eye, Aubrey can see Beca look around then start to unbutton her shirt.
xxxxx
The first wave is a shock of cold ocean foam that rushes up past Aubrey's ankles then gives her a rush of vertigo as it's dragged back out to sea. The second is warmer and she follows it out. Her gaze drifts in the direction of the dim light of the bonfire. It's plausible that people will come looking for them - or, looking for Beca. She quickens her pace, drags her feet across the sand, and pushes against the current until the water is nearly up to her chest and she can duck down to hide her bra.
"Look what the tide brought in," Cynthia-Rose comments.
Amy glances around. "I think it's high-tide," she corrects her. "It would take her out."
Aubrey just turns and tries to seek out Chloe. She can't keep track of everyone with no light, but she can at least make sure Chloe isn't being washed out to sea. She spins in a circle and gets halfway around when, out of nowhere, someone collides with her side, knocking her off her feet and tackling her under the surface of the water. Her first instinct is to exhale a strong breath through her nose to avoid sucking in any water. Her second instinct is to panic, but by then, she already knows who her assailant is. Five seconds of blowing bubbles underwater later, she's allowed to resurface. "Chloe!" she sputters. She wipes her face with her hands and pushes her hair out of her face. "What the hell?!"
Chloe snakes her arms around Aubrey's neck then hoists herself up and wraps her legs around her waist. She presses her forehead against Aubrey's, while Aubrey is still trying to wipe the water from her face, then pushes their noses together. "I knew you'd come to your senses." She grins and squeezes her with both her arms and legs.
"I feel like I'm losing my senses." Aubrey drops her arms to her sides. "Get off, Chloe." She's fairly certain that Chloe has more suction power than an octopus.
"Why are you still wearing clothes?" Chloe traces Aubrey's bra straps with her fingers.
Aubrey opens her mouth to answer then pauses when she notices Beca approaching them, still wearing a tank top (and probably underwear). "Beca is still wearing clothes," she points out and shifts Chloe's attention.
Chloe's head whips around, her hair smacking Aubrey in the face. "Beca!" She releases her grip on Aubrey and lowers herself back to her feet. She's oblivious to the look of discomfort on Beca's face and grabs her by the fabric of her shirt, pulling her in closer. "I am so glad you came to your senses too."
Beca's voice raises an octave. "Yeah." She nods and looks away from her. "I'm just gonna go over there." She points in the direction of the other Bellas.
"Why?" Chloe pulls her in closer, their faces only centimeters apart. "Stay here with us."
"Chloe." Aubrey shifts her weight from one foot to the other. She's beginning to doubt that she can keep an inevitable explosion of Chloe's emotions from happening this week.
Chloe turns her head. "It's not fair, Aubrey," she whimpers.
Aubrey stares at her, feeling suddenly out of tune with her surroundings. She swallows.
Chloe turns back away. She lets go of Beca's shirt and takes a half of a step back.
Beca stares at her. She opens her mouth, presumably to speak, but no words come out.
Chloe shakes her head. "You don't get to decide whether or not it's fair, Beca." She steps back again and glances off to the side at an incoming wave.
Aubrey watches her for a moment, trying to piece the thoughts in her head together. She shifts her gaze to Beca, but gets distracted by a human silhouette. The moonlight reflects off a badge. "Chloe," she hisses tersely and steps behind her, dropping down so the water is nearly up to her neck.
Chloe lifts her head and frowns at her. "What, Aubrey?"
Beca follows Aubrey's gaze. "Fuck," she murmurs and inches a step closer to her.
Chloe turns her head to face the sheriff. She draws in a breath and immediately straightens up, crossing her arms over her breasts. She glances back at Aubrey then takes a step back and bumps into her.
"Out of the water, Girls," Mills announces, drawing in the attention of the rest of the Bellas as well. He hooks his thumbs through his belt loops and stares in Aubrey's direction, not directly at her, but past the side of her head. "I need a word, Aubrey."