Chloe sat in a booth in a diner near her apartment, stirring cream into her coffee. Across from her, sat Stacie. She had gotten Chloe's call the night before and had made the two hour drive that morning.

"Have you seen any bruises?"

"No."

"Have you seen Aubrey hit her?"

"No."

Stacie sighed. "Chloe, I believe you. I believe what you heard, but without actually seeing it," She trailed off.

Chloe nodded. "I know. But you should have seen Beca yesterday. She didn't speak. Aubrey acted like she wasn't even there, and when she did acknowledge her, she was apologizing for her odd behavior." She sighed.

Stacie looked at her sympathetically, before looking down into her own cup for a few seconds.

"She is really pregnant?"

She watched as Chloe's eyes began to shine with tears.

"Yeah."

Reaching across the table, Stacie took Chloe's hand. As hard as it was to believe what Chloe had told her and as much as she didn't want to believe it, Chloe's reaction to Beca being pregnant was far from what it should be. "Have you talked to her today?"

She shook her head, taking her hand back and wiping her tears. "Thank you, so much for coming out here on short notice."

Stacie smiled lightly. "Of course. But I have to ask, what is your plan? You can't just confront Aubrey about what you heard; you know she won't tell the truth."

Chloe nodded, picking up her coffee. "I know that. And I can't ask Beca either, because not only will she lie, I don't want to put her in that position."

They were quiet for a few moments. "You said Beca hurt her hand? And They both said it was because she was drunk and fell?"

With a nod Chloe answered, "Yes, she may have nerve damage."

"Her left hand?"

"Yeah. She couldn't even use it to cut up her breakfast the other day, I had to help her. Aubrey didn't attempt to help."

"How do you think Aubrey would react to us inviting Beca out to lunch, while she is at work?"

Chloe shook her head. "I don't know. Once upon a time I'm sure it would have been fine, but I don't know anymore. I don't know my best friend."

XXXXXX

Beca braced her palms against the back of the shower as the hot water streamed down her back, turning it an angry red. Her hair was clean, she had scrubbed her body twice. Aubrey's words in her head. "You look like shit."

When the water began to run cold, she turned it off and got out, wrapping a towel around her and using another to dry her hair.

The next thirty minutes were spent on her make up. Not too dark, not too light. Natural but enough to know she was wearing it. She used just a thin line of eyeliner, and an elegant wing. Next her hair was dried into its natural curl and she used numerous different products to tame and style it the way Aubrey liked. After an hour and a half, she was dressed in a freshly ironed pantsuit, a pair of simple heels and she was walking down the stairs ready to leave for work.

She was just shouldering her laptop bag when the door opened. She froze as Aubrey walked in.

"Hey, love." She smiled as she set her bags down and walked over.

"Hi, you're home early." Beca said as Aubrey's lips were pressed against hers.

"And you're leaving late." She said stepping back.

Beca looked down. "I wanted to spend a little extra time getting ready." She spoke. "Now that I'm head of the label, I want to be sure I look the part."

Aubrey smiled, and played with a curl that fell over her shoulder. "You look beautiful." She said kissing her cheek before stepping around her and into the kitchen.

"I had a little time, so I thought I would come home and have lunch."

Beca picked up her purse as Aubrey opened the fridge. She usually had lunch with her father, but she didn't want to ask why that had changed that day.

"Okay, well I am heading out, I hope you have a nice break."

Aubrey stepped away from the fridge with a container of left overs in her hand.

"Drive safe, I love you." Aubrey said walking back over and Beca smiled into the kiss she was given. Aubrey's hand came up to cradle her jaw as she kissed her before she stood back and gently placed her hands on her flat stomach. "Bye babies." She smiled before stepping back over to her food.

Becas heart beat hard and her stomach fluttered. She couldn't help the smile on her face as Aubrey so gently handled her and spoke to their babies.

She wore a smile all the way to the label and could barely remember getting into her new office.

She was an hour into emails and scheduling a meeting when her desk phone rang.

She picked it up, "Hello?" She leaned back. It was the front desk downstairs.

"Oh? Okay of course, um," She scooted her chair back. "No, it's okay, let them up."

She hung up her phone and looked toward her door. Chloe and Stacie were there. Did Aubrey know? What was Stacie doing there? She had a weird feeling in her stomach. It replaced the one of butterflies and warmth she had gotten from Aubrey.

She could feel her palms getting sweaty. She didn't know, Aubrey didn't know they were there and Beca knew that wasn't going to go over well. She quickly sat back down and picked up her cell, dialing Aubrey's number.

Thankfully she picked up on the first ring.

"Bree?"

"Yes, love, what's wrong?" Came a worried voice.

"Um, nothing is wrong, but I am here at the label and the front desk just called saying I had visitors." She spoke.

"Okay?"

"It's Chloe and Stacie."

"Stacie?" Aubrey asked.

"Yeah."

"Did you tell Chloe anything?" Came a hard voice.
Her blood ran cold. "No, I swear. I didn't tell anyone."

"Try to act normal. Invite them both to our house for dinner tonight and say nothing about the twins or anything else, understand?"

She nodded as though she could see her. "I understand."

The phone went silent and Beca knew she had hung up on her. The sweet voice and gestures she had seen that morning were gone in that call and she worried what the meant for her after the girls left that night. She didn't have time to panic however, as a knock came at her office door.

She stood up, wiping her sweaty palms on her slacks before walking over and opening the door.

XXXXXX

Aubrey leaned back in her desk chair, tapping her phone against her chin in thought. Why was Stacie there? She only came down for thanksgiving, that was a month away, and they only went up north for Christmas. Why was she with Chloe and why didn't they contact her? She couldn't see a reason they would show up at the label unannounced. She was sure Chloe wouldn't have told Stacie their news about the baby.

She leaned forward and checked her schedule for the rest of the day. Then, she packed up her brief case and left her office. Ignoring her father as he came out of his own office to ask where she was going. He glared after her and her brother Cameron also came out of his office.

"Where is she going?" He asked.

John shook his head. "She wouldn't say. Looks like you are working late tonight."

"I can't, sorry. Avery and I have dinner reservations." Cameron said before turning and walking back into his office, closing the door.

John shook his head. Both of his children were disappointments.

XXXXXX

Beca was sat on one end of the couch in her office, Stacie and Chloe next to her.

"What a surprise, I didn't expect to see you until next month." Beca smiled.

Stacie returned the smile, "Well, Chloe said she had moved back and I was too excited to see her so I just popped in for a couple days. Work is slow right now, so I had the time. I couldn't come down to Atlanta and not see you and Aubrey!"

Beca smiled. "Yeah, she is excited to see you too." She said, looking down for a split second.

"She knows I am here?" Stacie asked and she could feel Chloe shift beside her.

"Um, yeah, I uh, I was on the phone with her when the front desk called me. I answered on speaker phone so she heard." She lied.

They knew it was a lie. At least Chloe did.

They sat talking and catching up for a few minutes before there was another knock on the door.

Beca looked behind her at it, in confusion, before standing up.

She opened it to reveal Aubrey standing there with a huge smile on her face.

"Hey!" She said pulling Beca into a hug.

Beca quickly whispered in her ear, "I said you heard they were here because we were on the phone." She pulled away and Aubrey kissed her before turning her attention to Stacie and Chloe who had stood up.

"Sorry to interrupt, but when I overheard you were here, I couldn't help myself. "She said pulling Stacie into a hug.

"No worries! I came down when Chloe said she moved back and we figured you would be busy at the firm today, but we wanted to come see Beca, and then ask you both to dinner?" Stacie said as Aubrey greeted Chloe.

"That would be great, but I'm sure Beca has already invited you to our house? We will cook."

Beca looked from Aubrey to Stacie.

"I was just about to." She said and Aubrey looked from her to Stacie expectantly.

"Oh, okay. That sounds wonderful."

"Great!" Aubrey smiled. "Why don't we all hop in my car and go to the market for a few things, and meet Beca back at the house," She said looking at Beca. "You have some more work to do, right? Because you were late this morning?"

Chloe and Stacie both looked at Beca.

She nodded, clearing her throat. "I do actually have some more work to do. I have to prepare for my first meeting as head of the label."

Stacie's eyes grew. She didn't know that, and neither Chloe or Beca had mentioned it. She glanced at Chloe who looked just as surprised.

"Oh, Beca…You didn't tell them?" Aubrey smiled, and Beca could see the underlying look of…pleasure?

"Beca was made head of the label." She said and Chloe and Stacie both erupted in excited squeals and laughs and lunged themselves at Beca.

They both hugged her tightly, and she caught Aubrey's look of distain over their shoulders. This was going to be a long night.

XXXXXX

Stacie didn't get a chance to talk to Chloe about what she had observed. Aubrey loaded them into her car and they were soon on the way to buy groceries for dinner. Aubrey talked on and on about the firm and how well she was doing and she talked about how excited she was for Beca to take over the label and how hard she had been working.

"She looked nice today, didn't she?" She asked and Chloe looked at her from the passenger seat.

"She always looks nice." She said, her voice light, not sure where Aubrey was going with saying that.

"Oh, I just meant, she actually put some effort into her hair and make up today. She had stopped getting done up for work, mostly working from home and whatnot."

"How is she doing mentally?" Stacie asked and Chloe froze. Aubrey met Stacie's eyes in the rearview mirror.

"What do you mean?"

Stacie shrugged. "Sometimes when people stop getting themselves ready, or they stop putting effort into their appearance they could be suffering from depression or a list of other things."

"Well, our therapist hasn't said anything about those diagnoses. I think she just stopped caring as much. Anyway, I think she looked lovely today. She must be excited about this new position."

The conversation died off after that and Chloe could feel Stacie's eyes burning a hole through the headrest of her seat.

She could see it too. Something was wrong and Stacie could see it. They had a therapist? Why?

XXXXXX

That night, Chloe and Aubrey were making dinner and Stacie was sitting at the island with a glass of wine when Beca came in.

"Hey girl," Stacie smiled as she walked in.

She limped slightly and Aubrey was immediately walking over to her.
"Sweetheart what's wrong, did you hurt yourself?" She asked and Beca shook her head with a grimace as she took off her heels.

"No, its just the shoes. I'm not used to wearing heels all day anymore."

"I don't think I have seen you wear heels since the Bellas." Stacie chuckled and Beca smirked at her.

"I was younger then."

"Weren't we all." Aubrey laughed. "Dinner is almost ready, why don't you go get changed and I'll get the foot spa ready for you so you can soak a little before dinner?"

"Oh, that's okay I don't want to keep you all waiting- "

"Love please?" Aubrey asked and Beca looked at her. She nodded with a relieved smile and Followed Aubrey up the stairs.

Chloe looked at Stacie who shrugged, her expression puzzled. This behavior wasn't what Chloe had spoken of, though it was a little more than she was used to seeing with the two. Aubrey was always loving to her wife when Stacie was around, and she was used to seeing them love on each other, but that seemed to be a little more than usual.

XXXXXX

Beca sat on her vanity chair, while Aubrey filled the small foot spa with hot water and Epsom salt. Then she moved it next to Becas feet and gently lifted one by one, into the bath, rolling up her pant leg as she did.

Beca sighed, closing her eyes and letting her body relax. It did feel good on her sore swollen feet. She would not be wearing heels again the next day.

It was when she felt pressure on her thighs that she opened her eyes to see Aubrey leaning toward her.

"Don't make a spectacle out of yourself. Stacie is acting weird. I don't know how, unless somehow Chloe knows…but I think she knows that our marriage hasn't been the same lately. Did you tell her? Her or Chloe?" She demanded in a hushed voice, her nails digging into Becas thighs.

"No, I didn't. I Swear." She said, shaking her head. "I swear I didn't tell anybody. If she knows, I don't know how, I haven't spoken to her in weeks."

Aubrey released her grip and sat back. "When we go down to eat, you sit beside me. We will tell Stacie about the pregnancy, and both of them about it being twins. Get the conversation on that."

Beca nodded, hoping she had just avoided a slap, or fingerprint shaped bruise. Her thighs hurt a little but she was sure Aubrey didn't break skin.

"I promise, Bree. I haven't told anyone. And besides…" She trailed off looking down. "You… You stopped right?"

She asked looking back up.

Aubrey stared at her for a moment and Beca could see her shoulders slump and her eyes fill with tears.

"Right." She said and slowly dropped her head into Becas lap, her shoulders shaking with her silent cries.

Beca reached down and ran her fingers through her hair. "I love you, Aubrey."

She looked up, and Beca wiped her tears, cradling her face gently and Aubrey leaned into the touch. "I love you too Beca. So much. You and our babies." She said placing a hand on her stomach and this time, instead of a flutter, she felt like a rock fell into her stomach. She faked a smile and pulled her hand away from Aubrey's face.

"We better go, don't want to keep them waiting to long." She said and Aubrey nodded standing up.

"Get into something more comfortable. Leave the bath, I'll take care of it later and I will see you downstairs." She said kissing her softly before heading toward the door, while Beca stood up and dried her feet.

She turned before leaving the room. "And, Beca?"

Beca looked at her. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about this morning. What I said. About how you looked. It was rude and I didn't mean it. You are beautiful, always." She spoke.

Beca looked down. "I am?" Came a soft voice.

It was Aubrey's turn to feel like she was punched in the stomach. Not only had she been physically abusive to the one person she loved more than anything in the world. She made her believe she thought she wasn't beautiful. She had worked so hard for so long trying to get Beca to see how wonderful she was. How naturally beautiful she was. Only to turn around and ruin all of it with four hate filled words.

She crossed the room in three strides and tried to ignore how Beca braced herself before pulling her into a hard kiss and she could feel Beca fall into her as she kissed her back.

"You are the most beautiful woman in the world to me. I am so sorry." She said sealing her apology with another kiss.

XXXXXX

Beca held Aubrey's hand gently on the table, as she smiled at Stacie.

"We are pregnant." She spoke.

"Oh my god congratulations!" She said, her hands coming up to cover her mouth, knowing it looked to them like she was excited when really, she was trying to cover up how unexcited she was.

"And there is more." Aubrey said, looking lovingly at Beca. Chloe looked between them, her heart pounding and Stacie's hands fell to her chest.

"We are having twins."

Chloe's eyes were huge and Stacie's jaw dropped. Aubrey spoke before they could.

"Fraternal twins." She smiled widely.

"Meaning, they won't look alike?" Chloe asked.

"No more than siblings born at different times." She spoke.

"Holy shit!" Stacie said standing up and rounding the table, Chloe did too.

"Congratulations!" She said carefully pulling Beca into a hug while Chloe did the same to Aubrey.

"We don't know the genders yet, that comes in a few weeks."

Aubrey reached over laying her hand on her shoulder and Beca kissed it.

"I'm sure we will have a gender reveal party." Aubrey said. "And you both better be there!"

The exciting news carried out onto the back patio where everyone but Beca had a glass of wine. She opted for water and sat curled into Aubrey's arms.

"Head of the label, pregnant with twins, Aubrey you are doing well at the firm." Chloe smiled. "You both must be so happy." She said, her eyes on Beca.

"Extremely." Beca smiled looking up at Aubrey who leaned down and kissed her.

Stacie glanced sideways at Chloe seeing her deflate and hoping the other two didn't notice.

They talked for a little while longer before realizing the time, and that Chloe's car was still parked at the label.

"You two are welcome to stay here tonight, we have two guest rooms and I can take you to your car in the morning." Beca said.

"That would be great, thank you." Chloe said as she and Stacie stood up stretching.

"No separate rooms, though. Chloe you still like to cuddle anything with a heartbeat?" Stacie chuckled and Chloe nodded excitedly.

"Oh good, Aubrey laughed standing up and helping Beca to stand as well. "That will keep her out of our bed." She joked and they all laughed.

Soon, they were all saying goodnight and Beca and Aubrey retired to their room where they took off their makeup, and got into their pajamas. Aubrey made it to bed first and Beca walked out of the bathroom, nervously playing with her wedding ring.

Aubrey watched her carefully, seeing how she looked like a scared child. Not meeting her eyes, and busying herself with her ring.

"Was I okay?" She asked softly. Aubrey finally met her eyes as she slowly raised them. "Are you angry with me?"

She watched her for a few more seconds, then reached out her hand. "You were perfect, love. Come to bed."

The breath Beca released wasn't missed as she slowly got into the bed and curled up next to Aubrey.

"Please, don't be scared of me." She asked as she wrapped her arm around the younger woman.

"I'm sorry… I'm trying."

"I know. I am too. I really do want to be better. I never want to lose my temper again. Especially not now, with the babies."

Beca felt a jolt of fear go through her at the thought of Aubrey hurting her while she was pregnant. What if she lost it and pushed her? Or she kicked her when she was on the ground. She had done that before, what if she hurt the babies?

Her silence told Aubrey that she was lost in thought about what their future held. She could feel her begin to shake.

"I won't," she said. "I could never hurt our children."

Beca closed her eyes. Nearly letting the words, "Just me." slip. She bit her lip, to stop herself from saying something that could potentially set her wife off.

"I know you wouldn't." She lied, turning her head and kissing Aubrey's neck.

She felt Aubrey relax and reached her hand up, cupping Beca's jaw and pressing their lips together.

"I'm also sorry about last night." She said, between kisses. "Let me make it up to you?"

She asked running her hand down Becas chest and stomach and stopping at the waistband of her pajama pants.

She felt Beca nod, and scooted them down into a laying position, leaning over her, kissing her softly as she slipped her hand into her pants and Beca gasped against her lips.

She moved her mouth from Becas mouth to her jaw, then her neck where she bit and sucked lightly, as she worked her hand in her pants, not bothering to take them off.

She hadn't touched Beca like this, other than the night before, when it was about her pleasure and not Beca's in a long time.

It wasn't long before soft whimpers were escaping her mouth and her hips were arching up into Aubrey's touch.

"More, please," She gasped and Aubrey smiled as she entered her with two fingers. Beca gripped Aubrey's arm, keeping her in place, loving every second of her wife touching her to bring her pleasure not pain. Within minutes, Becas back arched and Aubrey swallowed her moan with a kiss as her orgasm took over her body. She waited until Beca had calmed down, and her body was reduced to light tremors before pulling her hand away.

"You're beautiful, Beca. I love you so much."

Beca looked up at her, her eyes filling with tears, as Aubrey looked at her with the love she used too.

"I love you too."