(Beca's POV)
I woke up next to my beautiful girlfriend. No. No, wait, not my girlfriend. My fiancée. Oh my God do I love calling her that. Chloe's head was on my chest, I drew circles on her back and lightly hummed as I checked my phone. I had a few texts and a few Twitter notifications.
Fat Amy: Merry Christmas short-stack! Hope you and Chloe enjoy your vacation ;)
Aubrey: Merry Christmas, Beca! Heard the news, congratulations! I am so happy for you two. Love you both x
Jessica: Merry Christmas, Bella's!
Jesse: Merry merry merry merry merry Christmas, mutha fucka!
Cynthia Rose: Merry Christmas, lil B!
Stacie: AUBREY TOLD ME THE NEWS SHIT GIRL GET IT! Oh btw Merry Christmas :D
Uncle George: Merry Christmas, kiddo. Miss you, please come visit me soon xx Love you.
Benji: Merry Christmas Beca, I hope it's a great one.
I texted everyone back saying thank you and happy Christmas, and then sent out a few merry Christmas texts of my own. I posted a picture of Chloe and I kissing from last night, her mom took pictures of the whole thing which I found both sweet and awkward. I captioned the photo She asked, I said yes, it's happening. #Bechloe2k15 #MerryChristmas
I kissed Chloe's head and she stirred a bit. "Baby. Babe, wake up. Chloe, baby." I tried coaxing her but she put a finger to my lips. I put her finger in my mouth a bit down slightly, and that got her attention.
"Kinky." She smirked. Chloe let out a yawn and looked at the time. "Babe, it's seven in the morning."
"Merry Christmas!" I announced. Chloe looked like I just told her her favorite celebrity was in the next room.
Chloe gave me a kiss, it was slow and sincere, and very sweet. "Merry, merry Christmas." Chloe held my hand and looked down when she felt the ring she had given me. "Oh my God... I actually did that. I thought I dreamt it up and... Oh my God. I love you." Chloe kissed me again before getting out of bed. "I'm sure the twin terrors are already up, they're probably begging my dad to let them come up here and wake us, so we better get down there." I got up and Chloe and I changed into jeans, and before I could even put on a top, Chloe threw a sweater at me. I looked at the most heinous Christmas sweater ever seen. Chloe pulled on a almost equally disturbing sweater. "Family tradition, ugly Christmas sweaters on Christmas. You are a part of this family now, no?"
I pulled the ugly sweater over my head with a smile on my face. "I am indeed." Chloe grabbed my hand and together we went downstairs, where her dad and two brothers sat around the Christmas tree, the fireplace lit, and presents all over the room.
"Merry Christmas, girls! Good morning." Chloe's dad grinned. "Your mother is making coffee in the kitchen, why don't you go help her?"
Chloe and I walked into the kitchen and saw her mom had multiple cups of coffee on the counter. "Hey girls, good morning! Merry Christmas. Can you guys help me bring these coffees out to the living room?"
"Merry Christmas mom. We'll each take two." Chloe said, grabbing two coffees. I did the same, and her mom followed us to the living room with two in her hands. Soon everyone had coffee and everyone was sitting around the Christmas tree, staring at each other in ugly Christmas sweaters. "Will someone, please, OPEN A PRESENT!" Chloe was getting frustrated, which made everyone chuckle. "I'm serious!"
"Beca, since this is your first Christmas with us, you should go first." Chloe's dad told me.
I looked at him confused. "Wait, there are presents under the tree... for me?" I was in shock. "I haven't had a present under the tree for me since I was eight." My dad always believed that Christmas was a day for Jesus, and not for little kids no matter how well they behaved that year. The idea of Santa was shut down at an early age, and Christmas was spent at church. "But, I can't, this is your house, I shouldn't be the first one to open a gift."
"Chloe told me you made a list of things she told you we liked so you could go out and get us all presents." Chloe's dad told me. "You got us presents, we got you presents. Now open up a damn gift, okay kid?"
"Yes sir." I saluted him awkwardly and went down to the tree. I looked around for a bit before I found a package with my name on it. I sat right there on the floor and opened up the present. "This is a plastic tub full of water." I announced.
"We gave you melted snow." Calvin said.
Carson shrugged and said "We don't have money for real gifts."
I nodded "I love it. It's great. I'll remember to pack this on my next trip to the dessert." I joked and sat back next to Chloe.
"Okay, now you get to choose who opens the next present." Chloe told me. "And since a plastic tub full of snow water is a tough gift to beat, choose wisely."
"Uhm. Calvin, why don't you open a present?" I shrugged. Calvin hurried to the tree and grabbed the bag with the gift I got him. He opened it up and found a marshmallow shooter, with a bag of marshmallows. "I don't really know what teenage boys like, besides typically, teenage girls, and they're kind of hard to fit into a gift bag."
"This is awesome! Thanks Beca!" Calvin ran over and gave me a hug. I was hesitant to reciprocate the contact, not sure of what to do exactly.
After about an hour, four cups of coffee, and three ginger-bread cookies everyone had finished opening their presents. Calvin and Carson each got marshmallow shooters from me, Chloe got them each new skateboards, and they got DVD's, CD's, giftcards, and other random things from their parents, or sent in from random relatives. Chloe's dad got a new golf set from Chloe, I got him a pack of Cuban cigars, the twins made him a birdhouse (I think?) and Chloe's mom got him a really nice fishing rod and new tackle box. Chloe's mom got a new candle holder from the boys (again made, and again what I am assuming it to be), Chloe got her one of those at home foot spa things, I got her a nice bathrobe with slippers, and Chloe's dad got her diamond earrings. Chloe got TWO tubs of melted snow from the boys (what a lucky duck), a really nice pair of boots from her mom, a 100 dollar gift card to Target from her dad who claims he has no idea what to get girls, and a necklace from me. The necklace was a golden heart with real Ruby's (her birthstone) outlining the heart. It cost a fortune, but thanks to my mom's cookbooks, and now all the money I got from my dad, I didn't really need to worry about that too much, it's nice to know I can afford to spoil my fiancée.
I got the mentioned tub of water from the boys, a 100 dollar gift card from Chloe's dad for the same reason Chloe got one, a really cool jacket which had flannel sleeves, a flannel hood, but was denim in the vest area from Mrs. Beale. Chloe's mom said that in most of the pictures Chloe sent of me I was in flannel, and Chloe blushed at the fact that her mom told me she sends pictures of us or just me.
"Okay, Beca you still have one more present." Chloe announced and went to the tree to grab it for me. "This one is from me."
"Wasn't what happened last night my Christmas present?" I laughed. Chloe shook her head and booped my nose. I opened up the huge box and found a professional mixing board that hooks up to your laptop. "Chloe! There is no way... This had to cost a fortune."
"So did this, I'm sure." Chloe said pointing to her necklace. "In fact I bet this necklace costs way more than that DJ mixy thing. Besides its Christmas, cost doesnt matter, what matters is the thought. The twins clearly took advantage of that rule." I gave Chloe a huge hug and a quick kiss, not wanting to make things awkward in front of her parents. "Merry Christmas, nerd."
"This is the best Christmas I've had since my mom passed away." I smiled to myself. "Thank you. All of you, thank you so much." I swear every time I say something this entire family stares at me with the biggest grins I have ever seen. "I'm really proud to be a part of this family."
After a few moments of mushy family talk, Chloe's dad turned the TV on and we spent the rest of the morning watching classic Christmas movies. Chloe and I cuddled on the couch, Mrs. Beale sitting in Mr. Beale's lap on the recliner, and the twins sprawled out on the floor. It was the perfect family. The family I always wanted. How did someone like me deserve something as amazing as this? How did someone like me deserve someone as amazing as her?
(Chloe's POV)
I watched Beca as she watched It's a Wonderful Life. She was hating every second of watching the movie, per usual Beca, but would occasionally give me a smile and I knew she didn't mind doing this. She just wanted to be a part of the family. I loved how she got involved in all of our family traditions, she even got along well with the twins from Hell. My parents loved her, I could tell by the way they treated her. She loved them. I knew by the way she looked at them. She had five distinct looks, one when she was angry, one when something hurt her deeply, another when she was having the time of her life, a fourth when she was looking at friends or family, and the last one was special. The last look was reserved for me, and it was my favorite.
Beca's phone started to ring so she went into the other room to answer it. My mom took this as an opportunity to talk about Beca. "I like her. She's such a sweetheart, and she fits right in with the family. I hated Tom." My mom told me. "Beca is perfect for you. You chose well, dear."
"Thanks, mom." I laughed. "I think I did alright."
"I thought you said Beca was a badass? This Beca seems like a total elf." My dad joked. "Nonetheless I think she's great. Beca is a great addition to our family."
I rolled my eyes "She was more punk when I first met her, when she was really defensive. Now I've kind of torn her walls down. Besides that, she is going through a lot right now, and the fact that we've given her a real family is making her pretty emotional. I promise badass Beca will be back." My dad chuckled.
"Beca seems cool. We like her a lot." Calvin jumped on the couch next to me, and Carson took the other side. "Tom treated us like we were babies. Beca actually does stuff with us, and she taught us how to light a fire with a battery."
"She did what?" My mom asked.
"Nothing." Carson smiled his 'I'm an angel I have done nothing wrong' smile and my mother sunk back into her seat. "Beca is already like an older sister to us."
"Well I'm glad you all like her." I said. "I have a feeling we'll be engaged for a while, maybe until after she graduates." Or until after a graduate. At this rate there wasn't a chance of me graduating this year. Not that I really minded, I had no idea what I wanted to do after college, and leaving the Bella's after 4 years of having a home with them, it just didn't feel right.
"Chloe? Chloe can you come here for a second, love?" I heard Beca call from the other room. Her voice cracked and I knew something was happening. My family gave me a weary look and to ease their minds I gave them a small smile. I got off the couch, I started looking for what room she may have gone into and found her in the dining room, sitting at the table with her face in her hands. "That... that was my father... from prison."
"Why the fuck is he calling you?" I nearly shouted.
Beca looked up at me and gave me a weak smile. "To wish his cunt loving, dyke of a daughter a merry Christmas and to tell her how much he hated her." Beca had a resentful tone in her voice and spoke with clenched teeth. "He told me that he should have killed me. He said he wish I succeeded in killing myself." Beca let out a deep breath and mumbled "Sometimes I wish I did too..." and I knew she didn't want me to hear it.
I sat down next to Beca and wrapped my arm around her. "Beca I-"
"I told him we were engaged." She cut me off. "He said we were going to hell." I didn't know what to say. Beca started laughing and wiped her tears. Beca just gave me a sly smile and said "I told him we would see him there."
I let out a small giggle. "He isn't going to hurt you anymore, you know? He is behind bars where he belongs, and you are here with me. Where you belong." I kissed her slowly. She kissed me back, there was no sexual desire in this kiss, just need and love, and most of all there was a lot of want. I pulled away and placed our foreheads together. "I for one, am extremely happy that you're alive. Because I am very much in love with the person you are, and if you no longer existed... I probably wouldn't want to exist."
Beca pulled our bodies away and slumped in her chair. She looked at the ring I gave her and pressed her lips together. It was a nice gold band with a generous sized diamond. "Are you sure I'm what you want? I'm broken goods. I'm not even that attractive, like have you seen yourself? You could get one of those Victoria Secret or Calvin Klein commercial models. I'm like hottest girl working at the radio station, kind of attractive." Beca told me. "You could have someone way more attractive, way smarter, with way less baggage with no problem, guy or girl."
I looked her up and down then shrugged. "Yeah, you're the one for me." Beca shook her head but grew a weak smile. "Stop letting Phil's words get in your head, Mitchell. You are so beautiful and smart, and I want you more than I have ever wanted anything in my entire life. Thats a fact." Beca sighed and I moved hair out of her face. "Besides in case you couldn't tell, I'm kind of spoiled. I get whatever I want. You just so happen to be exactly what I want." I gave her a wink and took her hand.
"I lied about the pain pills." Beca said without looking at me. "I didn't want to bring them. I don't want to take them."
"Becs, why?" I didn't understand why she wouldn't want to take them. How can you not want to not be in pain? "Becs you realize how stupid that is, right? I mean sure they don't help you heal, but they take away the pain you've been feeling. I was wondering why they didn't seem to be working."
"The doctors told you I tried to kill myself by cutting into my wrists and drowning in the tub, right?" Beca asked. I shook my head yes, confused as to what she was going on about. "Well I did cut into my wrists, but I didn't try and drown myself exactly. I took a bunch of pills. They made me really drowsy and I just started falling asleep and I guess my head went under water." Beca explained. "I don't like pills, I never really have, but now every time I think of taking one it just reminds me of everything that happened and I don't like thinking about it."
"Okay." I nodded. Beca looked at me, surprised I wasn't angry with her. "Am I upset that you kept that from me, a little yes, but am I angry at you for not wanting to think about the worst experience of your life? No." I gave her hand a squeeze "Beca the pills are to take pain away, and if the pain of the memories are greater than the physical injuries, than don't take the pills. As long as you don't need them to heal, I'm not going to be upset that you're not taking them. Thats your choice and it's a reasonable one. If there is anything I can do to help ease the pain you're feeling let me know okay." Beca just threw her arms around my neck and buried her face into my neck. "Hey, you're going to be my wife, I need to support you in your decisions and tell you when you're making a stupid one. This is not a stupid decision and I am supporting you one hundred percent."
"I need to stop being so emotional." Beca leaned back and wiped her tears. "This isn't cool. I'm a badass. Beca Effin' Mitchell is a badass." Beca assured herself. "You make me so emotional, you know that?"
"It's a part of being a human, my love." I laughed and grabbed her hand pulling her out of her seat.
We walked back to the living room, where my parents sat talking. The TV was off so I assumed the movie ended, and I heard the sound of marshmallow shooters and teenage boys coming from somewhere in the cabin. Beca laughed as the boys went running past us with marshmallows stuck to their clothes. "You realize we're going to be their next target." I told her.
Beca just shrugged and grinned at me. "I know."