Sorry this is so short. I had the thoughts - but it wasn't a full chapter - but I wanted to share anyway.

Chapter 18 - Beca and Chloe Discuss Aubrey

Chloe and Vera had returned from Europe that morning – and there had been lots of hugs and kisses – and Beca and Dahlia spent lunch listening to some of their stories. Dinner was much quieter and Chloe and Vera needed time to unpack and rest, so Beca had disappeared into her studio. Losing track of time, she didn't realize how long she'd been falling down the rabbit hole until Chloe appeared in her periphery. She removed her headphones, scooted away from the computer, and blinked.

"Sorry," Beca said, yawning, "I guess I lost track of time." Chloe studied her, expression one of obvious concern.

She pulled over another chair so their eyes were on level. "Beca, I've only been back for 12 hours and feel like you're avoiding me. What's going on?"

Beca gave her a confused expression. "I'm not, Chlo. I wanted to give you time to unpack and relax." She rolled her shoulders, trying to break the stiffness. "Everything is fine."

"Disagree," Chloe said sternly. "Something is up. You are being weird."

Beca closed her eyes. "Can we talk tomorrow? It's nothing bad – not really. I had every intention of talking to you about it tomorrow. But aren't you tired?"

"Not that tired," Chloe responded. She briefly rubbed her wife's neck and felt the knots of tension. "Come on. I'll go make tea. I'll meet you in our room. And don't you dare fall asleep on me. I will wake you right back up again."

A few minutes later, both in pajamas and holding hot cups of tea, they sat together on their sofa, snuggled close. Once the tea was gone, Beca was snuggled into Chloe. "Although I am enjoying this immensely after six weeks of being gone, you're not getting out of telling me what's wrong," Chloe said, softly, into her wife's ear.

"I'm not trying to get out of it," Beca told her, fingers playing with Chloe's loose red locks. "And there's nothing wrong. Not really. Things are just kind of messy, in my head."

"We can't have that." Chloe responded, kissing her temple. "What happened, darling?"

After several more moments of silence, Beca spoke. "Did Dahlia tell you much about our trip to LA?"

"She loved seeing Matilda and Hadestown."

"I'm glad. Anything else?'

"She saw Katie, which is nice. I wasn't expecting that – but I'm glad you found time for it."

"I found time for it because she was with Katie while I had dinner with Aubrey," Beca said, spitting it out quickly. She didn't realize she was trembling until Chloe held her tighter.

"Beca, sweetie, you're allowed to do whatever you think is right."

Beca started to cry, burying her face in her wife's neck. "I don't know what's right anymore," she said shakily. She cried for a while, then dried her tears and tried her best to explain the jumbled-up thoughts and feelings in her head and heart. "When I was with Aubrey, I felt horrible. She lost everything. And she's Aubrey – and she was someone I loved and trusted and who I would have done anything for. Thinking of her alone – it's so depressing," Beca admitted. "No one deserves that."

She took a deep breath and wiped away the tears that continued to spill occasionally. "But then I think about what she did, and I don't see how anyone could possibly give her a second chance. She knew Andy could be dangerous – she took absolutely no precautions to protect Dahlia – even locking the fucking door. And Bella – what she said to Bella." Beca was crying again, and Chloe continued to hold her, rubbing her back, and whispering words of comfort.

Eventually, in bits and pieces, Beca told her about the entire conversation – about how shaken she'd felt realizing how alone Aubrey was. Her decision to share videos of their granddaughter.

"I think you did what you needed to do," Chloe told her. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"I shouldn't have shown her those videos without asking Poppy and Ben."

"I think they'll be okay with it," her wife assured her. "Do you want to be back in touch with Aubrey?"

Beca shook her head. "No," she admitted. "No. It's too hard. I don't hate her. But I hate what she did. And I know it doesn't make me a very good person, but I can't forgive what she did."

"It doesn't make you a bad person," Chloe said. "Some things are not forgivable."

"Who gets to make that decision?"

Chloe sighed softly. "I guess everyone has to set that line for themselves."

"And if I know it's right and still for horrible about it?"

"That just makes you a good person," Chloe said, hugging her tightly. They snuggled together for a long time in silence, simply being together.

"Do you ever thinking about reconnecting with her?" Beca asked, softly. "She was your best friend for so long."

"She was," Chloe agreed. "And no. I don't. She knew what she was doing was wrong – and I can't get over that. I've tried. But I've come to terms with it – and it's not something I need to accept. My daughters are more important than any friendship – and Aubrey abused our trust. That's not something I can forgive. I don't hate her. I could never. But I don't want to invite her back into my life. It would be too painful for everyone. Beca nodded.

Beca wasn't sure if it was right or wrong, but after speaking with Jesse and Stacie after Chloe, she decided not to tell Poppy and Ben about her run in with Aubrey. Unless they decided to reconnect later, it would do no one any good. Beca herself was shaken enough – she didn't need to spread it to her children.

Let me know your thoughts! Thanks for reading!