Chloe took a deep breath. The pre-performance nerves were really shaking her up. She had never performed with her new range. What if she sounded stupid? What if everybody laughed at her? She shook those thoughts away and turned towards Aubrey. The blonde was pale and was breathing deeply. Chloe knew that she had a lot riding on this. Her reputation was already so damaged that she had a very small opportunity to redeem herself, but she was going to try. Chloe placed her hand on Aubrey's arm comfortingly. The blonde looked at her and smiled.
"Is Beca here yet?" she asked.
Chloe shook her head. The small brunette should have been there half an hour ago. Chloe tried to ignore the seed of worry that was sprouting in her chest. She had enough to worry about as it was. But she would always worry about Beca. Just as she was about to answer, Fat Amy's loud voice rang out from behind them.
"Yo Shortstuff! Thought you weren't going to turn up!"
Both girls turned sharply. Beca was approaching them. Chloe couldn't help but think that she looked beautiful. She wore high-waisted pants with a blue shirt, the colours matching those that the rest of the Bellas were wearing.
"Speak of the Devil..." Aubrey muttered, not unkindly.
Beca smirked at the blonde. "It's nice to see you too Aubrey."
Chloe smiled before engulfing the smaller girl in a hug. "You look gorgeous." She mumbled into Beca's hair.
The redhead could feel Beca smirk. "Just wait until you see what I'm wearing underneath." She replied just as quietly. Chloe choked on her own saliva as many not-so-pure thoughts raced through her mind. She pulled back to look into the navy eyes that she loved. "Better?"
Chloe frowned. "Huh?"
"Your nerves." Of course Beca had noticed how nervous she was. And she had made those nerves go away, admittedly with dirty thoughts, but Chloe did feel better. Again she wondered how she had ever deserved a person like Beca. Instead of voicing her thoughts, she reached over and grabbed the back of Beca's neck, pulling her to her lips. She was met with no resistance as she felt Beca's tongue slide along her bottom lip, begging to granted entry. Without any hesitation Chloe allowed it, revelling in the feeling that kissing Beca still gave her. She still felt butterflies erupt throughout her entire being and fireworks dance behind her eyes. Beca could really kiss. Chloe honestly didn't know how she didn't just take Beca right then and there in front of everybody. Hell, they were both so hot that they would be doing the others a favour.
"Ok that's enough. Don't ruin your make-up." Aubrey's voice cut through the couple's moment of bliss. Chloe felt Beca smile against the kiss before pulling away. She pecked Chloe on the lips before turning to Aubrey.
"Sorry Bree."
Aubrey raised an eyebrow. "No you're not."
"You're right. I'm not." Beca smirked and Aubrey shook her head in mock exasperation.
Beca turned to the stage where the Hullabahoos were finishing their set of the Final Countdown. She saw the Treblemakers and quickly made her way to Jesse. He looked up as she approached.
"Do my eyes deceive me or is the badass DJ Beca Mitchell here as a Barden Bella?"
Beca smacked him playfully. "Well, I was going to wish you luck but I'm not so sure anymore." Jesse pouted at her. "Oh please." Still pouting. "Fine. May the best all female group win. Oh wait, that still gives you a chance." Jesse laughed at his friend's antics. She wasn't going to change any time soon. He opened his arms and leant in for a hug, but Beca pulled away. "Dude no. I don't do human contact." Jesse laughed harder and forcefully pulled Beca into his embrace. He continued to laugh as she protested but they both knew that she didn't mean it.
Chloe watched the friends interact with a twinge of jealousy. She knew how much Jesse liked Beca, even after the two of them got together. But she knew that Beca wouldn't do anything to intentionally hurt her. She turned to Aubrey to find the same sort of reaction on her face. Suddenly it dawned on Chloe.
"Aubrey!" the blonde spun towards the redhead, all too aware of the tone that she used.
"What?" Chloe just smirked at her. "What is it Chloe?" she just kept smirking. "Oh my god, stop smirking. You've got that from Beca!"
Chloe finally broke and beamed at Aubrey. She loved that she had adopted some characteristics from Beca. "You like him, don't you." It wasn't even a question.
"What? Jesse? No that's stupid. Plus he's a Treblemaker."
"I didn't say who..."
Aubrey opened her mouth to respond but no sound came out. She closed her mouth and opened it again, reminding Chloe of a fish. She giggled at the blonde before shoulder bumping her.
"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me."
Aubrey's face dropped. "Chloe..." she said warningly.
"What? I can keep a secret. Sometimes. I promise I wont tell anyone. But maybe Beca."
"Chloe!"
"Ok, I'll try to not tell anyone."
Aubrey sighed. She knew Chloe meant well but her bubbly personality prevented her from being able to keep any secrets for long. The blonde was brought out of her thoughts by the crowd going wild. She looked over and saw the Treblemakers beginning their set. Jesse was waking past when she drew up all of her courage and caught his arm. He turned, shocked that she, of all people, had stopped him.
"Good luck."
He looked at her a moment before smiling that charming smile of his, unknowingly setting her heart beating faster.
"Thanks. You too." He smiled at her one more time before joining the rest of the Trebles on stage.
Beca was pleasantly surprised at the Treblemakers' set. It was good. Really good. And she was really happy that Benji was part of them too. She found a strange sort of kinship with the weird boy. Maybe it was a misfit thing.
When the Trebles' set finished, they made their way offstage and the Bellas turned to one another.
"I love you, awesome nerds." Beca smiled at the girls who had against everything become her friends. The Bellas all smiled at her before Aubrey put her hand in. they had all become so much better at this. Afterwards, the Bellas made their way onstage. Beca was nervous now. She had been training harder than all of them recently, trying to get the choreography perfect. It had been three weeks since the doctors gave her the astounding news that she could perform. Nobody had expected it. She remembered how happy everybody had been when she had told them.
Beca walked into the auditorium and was met with the now familiar set that she had composed. As she thought about what the doctor said, her heart sped up with excitement. She couldn't believe that she had recovered so well so fast. The doctors had called it a miracle. Well, she felt like after everything that had happened that she deserved a miracle. That Chloe deserve a miracle.
"Ok girls. That's great. Take five." Aubrey's voice drew her out of her musings.
Beca walked up behind Chloe and wrapped her arms around the redhead's waist. Chloe jumped slightly before recognising who was behind her.
"Beca? What are you doing here? I thought you had a hospital appointment. Is everything ok?" Chloe's voice became anxious towards the end.
Beca kissed the back of Chloe's neck before pulling away. "I'm fine. Better than fine actually. I have some good news." At this point all of the Bellas were listening. Beca took a deep breath. "The doctors have pretty much discharged me. They said that my progress is remarkable. That I could perform if I wanted to..." she finished quietly.
There was a moment of silence as the Bellas took in what she had said. None of them had liked the idea of performing without Beca but they knew that they would have to. The moment of stunned silence was broken by a high pitched squeal. Chloe launched herself at Beca, kissing her deeply as the other Bellas broke out into excited chatter.
Aubrey stepped up to Beca once she and Chloe had broken away from one another.
"Well, you've got a lot of catching up to do then."
Beca blew the pitch pipe and their set began.
...
"And the winner of the ICCAs for 2012 is, The Barden Bellas!"
The audience went wild. Even the Treblemakers were on their feet clapping. The girls made their way up on stage and waited for Beca to take the trophy. Instead she looked to Aubrey and motioned for the blonde to take it. Aubrey wanted to cry. Beca really was a genuine person behind her façade.
"Together." She said and together, Beca and Aubrey raised the trophy.