#escort!beca

[comic-book-jawns]

The Bro Code

PP3 Ending Rewrite, Getting Together, feat. surprise Bechloe shipper Chicago

“Dude!”

Chicago has been around plenty of strong women. His older sister is the reason he enlisted, after all. And Chloe’s bikini is certainly not leaving her toned physique to his imagination.

Still, he would feel like an asshole if he just stands by and watches one of the women he’s meant to be escorting walk across a beach with a giggling adult on her hip and a tote bag slung over her other shoulder.

“Uh, can I…”

“We’re good, thanks!”

Well, he can’t exactly argue with that. Beca is rigid, but clearly more in an attempt to not be a total dead weight than out of discomfort, and gripping Chloe’s shoulder for balance. He’s about to call it and bring up the rear when Beca suddenly glances back his way and taps Chloe’s posterior delt, bringing her friend to an immediate stop.

Chicago waits as Beca leans down toward Chloe’s ear, and the redhead nods before vaguely tilting her head in his direction.

“Could you grab her flip flops actually?!”

Read more @ ao3

[evita-shelby]

The best forgotten birthday

For @justrainandcoffee and their wonderful oc, Rose Coldwell-Solomons 🖤🖤

Cw: drinking

“What do you mean nothing?” Rose had asked when the reading didn’t show what she wanted to know.

“No gift, no party, not even a whiff of it in the readings.” The witch shuffled her cards once more and this time put them back inside their case. “Tommy’s busy tomorrow evening, has a business meeting in town, do you want to do something fun?”

If Alfie has the audacity to forget his wife’s birthday, Eva will make damn sure Rose Coldwell-Solomons has the best night ever at his expense.

She knows her fairly well and Eva knows partying like she knows the cards. This was going to be fun.

“Beats doing nothing at home.” The Queen of Camden town pouts at the disappointment from having her loving husband forget her birthday.

It was very unlike Solomons, as strange as if Tommy would forget hers.

Rose comes dressed to the nines and does not know why the chauffer balks at the idea of Mrs. Shelby driving herself anywhere and asks that she drive instead. So what if Eva crashed a few vehicles?

It is fun, even as they try to keep things proper and pretend Eva’s not feeling the hurt Rose feels thanks to her lack of inhibition at the moment.

“You know what I haven’t done in some time?” Rose begins to open up after they leave one of Tommy’s clubs where no one knows her.

The witch knows what she means, the last time Eva did that she ended up fucking Tommy after trashing his hotel room instead of telling him the Italians were coming after them. Its been so long since she’s gotten drunk without impending doom.

“Did you know some tequilas are kosher?” the witch motions of the waitress to bring that very special tequila Tommy always makes sure they have in stock.

Tommy has been told that his witch has gone out with Alfie’s wife and even worse, implied to have been driving the two of them.

Rose is a good driver; he knows that because in the outings she and Eva have, she is always driving.

Eva is a shit driver.

She is great at everything else, but God had not graced her with the ability to drive.

Tommy is very relieved to know that the officer calling him about her isn’t saying they are calling because she crashed. Frankly, the gangster turned politician preferred her to be in jail for the night than know she was behind a wheel.

Eva’s permitted to speak to him and in her drunken stupor, she giggles and laughs and flirts with him in ways she would be caught dead doing it sober. If the officer had not stopped her, the witch would’ve tried to fuck him through the telephone as they always do when either of them are away.

“Nice to know Mrs. Shelby still has her fire.” Solomons has a shit eating grin when he arrives at the station to bail out his wife.

“I never forget her birthdays.” Tommy replied dryly and tried not to lose his patience with the man.

“I didn’t fucking forget! Had a surprise for her, that’s all.” Alfie sighs dramatically in his own defense and lays the blame on someone else. “I thought your old ball and chain knew everything? It’s her fault my Rosie thinks I forgot her birthday!”

“Eva is not infallible.” Tommy stresses her name to show his dislike of the words he used. “There are things that even the universe cannot tell her or won’t for shits and giggles.”

“Like getting my wife drunk out of her mind on her birthday and calling me a prick for forgetting it.” Solomons pinched the bridge of his nose to relieve the headache Eva had caused.

Shelby would be lying if he wasn’t proud of his wife’s antics tonight. Causing Solomons some discomfort was always fine with him.

Its not long until the Policewoman comes escorting their unusually drunk wives out of a cell. They are chatting and laughing loudly with the other women held up as if they were friends, someone even goes as far as wishing Alfie a good kick in the nuts for it.

Even if Eva is suggesting they try swinging or a foursome and Rose in hysterics because her husband had a surprise for her the entire time, the women had their fun which is all that matters at the end of night.

[arxiel]

CRIMSOM THUNDER

Rolan x F!Tav

BACK --- NEXT

Chapter 10: Festival of the Hunt

Rating: Mature (Blood, angst and Lorroakan being a bitch)

Words Count: 3.552

AO3 LINK

CHAPTER INDEX

Or... read Bellow

It had been twenty days of absurd assigments absurd confrontations with customers and people bringing fake relics and especially twenty nights when Lorroakan would ask him nonsense questions to beat him and make him fell less each time. 

It had come to a point that he knew what to expect every night. 

Rolan sent letters to his brothers, lying to them about his apprenticeship to prevent them from condemning themselves to the dangers of Lorroakan. 

He accepted any job he was told to do without objection, from organizing those books that Lorroakan himself disorganized or bringing him ‘escorts’ from Sharess Caress. 

Despite being a competent wizard, he had a terrible temper, witnessing on several occasions that he would end the lives of those who wasted his time with the relic. 

If some presented a more elevated threat, he would call him to deal with it himself, while his master took a rest on his throne of books to admire the spectacle. 

Several times Rolan had been wounded considerably but his master appeared to enjoy it. 

He did not understand why his obsession with a relic that would come in time made him so delicate, and why he refused to let Rolan attend to his study of the weave. 

Like he was preventing something…

If Rolan was caught taking tomes to study, he would reprimand him more harshly than at other times. Electrocuting him repeatedly into unconsciousness. 

Over time, he learned to be quiet enough to sneak tomes without being noticed and study for as long as he could and return them. Likewise he had learnt such tricks like making his letters morph into origami birds to fly to the inn where his siblings were staying. 

Occasionally he took the opportunity of ‘assignment’ days to visit his brothers and those days at least he could forget how bad he was having it now. 

He'd entered into his own cage where he wouldn't know much about his family, and even less about Yvainne who hadn't heard from her since the shadow's cursed land. 

He missed her, but another part of himself felt a genuine shame of the fact that even though she was right he chose to ignore her. 

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The twenty-first day of Rolan's ‘apprenticeship’ had started badly when a cloud was raining down on him while he slept. 

Rolan barely dried himself and put his robes back on to leave the room. 

"It was time." Lorroakan dispelled his spell with a snap of his fingers. 

"Today you will do two tasks for me" Rolan concentrated to listen carefully to the requests that would be entrusted to him. 

"You will make the pentagram of the ritual once again if you do it well, consider yourself fortunate to do your second task." Rolan looked at him strangely, of all the assignments he had given, this was the first time he told him that it was a reward. 

Rolan flexed his fingers to take the special chalk to carefully draw the pentagram, considering every tiny detail, so that when they brought the real relic, the ritual will work. 

As he drew the pentagram perfectly he placed his two hands on it to give it of his magical power to make it work.

As he moved away from the pentagram a subtle blue glow emanated from it and faded slightly as Lorroakan approached. 

His master pulled a blue-tipped wand from behind his back, as he pointed it the pentagram glowed brightly. 

"It is perfect, now when the true relic arrives it will absorb everything and this will be complete." Lorroakan looked at the wand with great ambition. 

Lorroakan would throw at him an envelope with a letter inside. 

As he opened the contents to read it, there was an invitation to the festival of the hunt along with the coronation of Lord Gortash. 

Lorroakan had been invited because he was the master of the Ramazith tower and a very influential person. 

"I would go personally, but it would be better if my star apprentice went to witness a real festival, there was wine and gambling between the high houses and ‘company’ to be enjoyed." Rolan rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what Lorroakan want with that flatteries. 

"And Why doesn't Miklaur go." Lorroakan snorted in disbelief at Rolan's attempt at an excuse. 

"Miklaur doesn't have an attractive countenance to help persuade them to come to see me." Rolan sighed heavily before keeping the invitation. 

He should be sure to bring someone with him…  

Otherwise he would be severely punished again. 

But fortunately for him, "escorts" are special guests of sharess caress where their services are already available with gold.

Walking once more through the brightly city streets would bring him a slight peace of mind. 

He wouldn't have to tolerate his terrible Master and his abuses. 

He calmly admired all the decorations that were presented for the long-awaited event organised by that lord. 

Although he didn't trust him at all, it was something he didn't care about. 

Arriving at the event venue there was a waiting line, something that having the invitation from his master he could skip the lines for the entrance of the event. 

Those waiting in line would be whispering enviously. 

‘’How did a Tiefling get invited to an event like this?!" Rolan would tilt his head to show the invitation to the guard to be let in. 

"Welcome citizen, we can understand that your master has given his place to you, please enjoy the show, the betting area is open as well as the bar if you would like to enjoy the best wine of the sword coast" He nodded at the words of the Steel Watcher.

Rolan searched for the place that had been reserved to Lorroakan, being the new Archmage of Ramazith Tower they would give him a high place to see the area clearly as well as the spectators. 

The arena would fill up enthusiastically, leaving only a few empty seats, and it wouldn't be long before the event would start. 

"Interesting, anyone would judge your situation as luck, but, to be in this place at this precise moment in a very important event replacing your master, is considered as destiny itself." Rolan would turn his eyes to hear the voice of an elegantly dressed man with dark medium hair and slightly reddish skin. 

"I have seen you… at the inn in Reithwin, you played with that little girl. Mol…" The man smiled slightly. 

"Surprising you remembered it when you were deeply drunk…" His eyes moved to meet Rolan's eyes. 

"You are important noble of the city?" The man laughed lightly at Rolan's comment. 

"I am quite powerful, yes, but I only came to observe this event like everyone else here. - And mostly to see how a certain participant performs in this new situation…  As he finished his sentence, the opening chimes would sound. 

Gortash greeted the audience along with Duke Ravengard. 

Rolan bowed his gaze, remembering those words he had heard earlier. 

The Duke had been kidnapped and taken to Moonrise. He hadn't seen him rescued when the group of heroes defeated Ketheric Storm. 

And the flaming fists that had accompanied the survivors had mentioned that the duke had not been found and would call for help from… Lord Gortash. 

His whole blood chilled at the possibility that whoever was behind the whole absolutist affair was this lord. 

The Duke delivered a brief discourse on the absolutist terror that was haunting the city leaving Lord Gortash and his steel guard as the heroes and he will be crowned as the new Duke to protect the city. 

At the end of the short discourse the festival of the hunt would begin.

Sections of the floor would open up to raise small groups of people. Followed by bloodthirsty caged monsters. 

"Welcome our brave participants, some are veterans, some are newbies, but we have special guests who will also participate! - Once defeated they will be disqualified from the games, so… may the best person win." When Gortash finished his welcome to the participants the crowd would shout excitedly, some of them looked like mercenaries and adventurers but in the distance a glint reflected by the sun pointed at Rolan's eye. 

Instinctively he covered his eye with his hand to try to see. 

"Our star guest, I wonder if she can handle this…" The man would offer Rolan a pair of glasses with a high zoom to see nearer. 

As he took it to see who it was he opened his eyes in surprise, and his blood would chill and his heart would stop for a few seconds. 

It was Yvainne with Jaheira, they had some bruises and are completely unarmed. 

"Looks like now they will have to face each other to survive…" The man's unsettling laugh would keep him nervous. 

"This can't be happening…" It would run through his mind scared for their fate. 

The hunting festival is a dangerous event for the participants, they should try to defeat as many monsters as possible or the strongest ones to win. 

But it is also allowed to steal points from other players by defeating them in battle. 

It sounds simple for a group like them, if it weren't for the magic-suppressing bracelets they would have on their wrists. 

The games would begin with the release of the beasts and the arena changing to make it a maze. 

Yvainne and Jaheira split up in search of weapons to deal with the beasts.

Rolan brought his nails to his lips in nervousness as he saw a Displacer beast approaching, stalking them. 

Fortunately she would find a small knife with which she could defend herself. 

Jaheira reached her arms to calm the beast to give her a chance to escape. But an archer would arrive to kill the creature and try to shoot her as well. 

In a quick act Yvainne would throw the knife to hit it in the arm where it would hold the bow to take it from him. 

They would both rush forward with their weapons. 

Yvainne gave Jaheira a signal to crouch in the shadows to move slowly and surely to avoid the players' traps. 

"And the little mouse runs from the jaws of the predators, to attack from the cunning darkness"

The stage would shift to give a new arena to the participants separating Yvainne and Jaheira entirely. 

The worg would charge at Yvainne from the front, she tried to parry the bites with her bow. But the beast would be even stronger. 

Rolan clenched his jaw. Then his tail would begin to wag from helplessness. 

But in an unexpected act she pulled the hairpin out of her hair to bury it in the creature's eye, causing the creature to separate. 

Yvainne continued to stab at the creature's eye until it stopped moving. 

The man slowly clapped his hands at the spectacle with a devilish smile on his face. 

At Yvainne's inattention another of the displacer beast lunged at her, clawing at her arm and shattering part of the leather armour.  

Rolan accidentally hit the wall with his tail as he saw Yvainne fall to the ground helpless to another attack. 

But before the beast could strike again Jaheira would decapitate the creature with a scimitar. Rolan would sigh heavily. 

From her arm apart from the blood gushing out would be tattoos that he had seen before, one of the signs was on the notes his master had on the desk. 

Yvainne looked around in terror as she pressed down on her wound. 

Jaheira ripped some of her clothing to make a tourniquet to prevent excess blood and to cover some of the tattoos. 

Yvainne looked at her arm before looking at the hairpin in her hand. And she would use the hairpin to open the magic-suppressing bracelet as if it were a lock pick. 

"And the clever little mouse will use his wits for survival along with the little bird. I am amazed at how clever mortals can be, though they are running out of time…" The man would lean back against the wall at those words, Rolan would watch the approach of a burly, bald man along with… 

Another Jaheira? 

Rolan would look carefully at the man who looked familiar. 

The legendary Minsc the mad Rasheemaar?! 

Yvainne and Jaheira looked at the man who seemed confused and annoyed to see another identical companion. 

Both women crossed their gazes to nod and prepare for the disadvantageous attack between the fake Jaheira, Minsc and two other people who would try to surround them. 

Yvainne has no arrows with her bow and is armed only with the hairpin gifted by the Tiefling while the real Jaheira has only a scimitar. 

They need magic to survive. 

Rolan opened his eyes at the thought that would cross his mind. 

He would look around to avoid being surprised at what he was trying to do, and he closed his eyes trying to concentrate his magic. 

“Pulso” 

He would mutter the spell while pointing his fingers at her. 

The magic suppression bracelet would fall from her wrist. 

Yvainne in confusion would look down at the floor where the bracelet was and then look around, she knew she hadn't managed to open her bracelet in time. Although it looked like the audience had swallowed it. 

Her gaze quickly searched through the crowd, until her eyes focused on where he was standing. 

It was hard for her to know who it was that cast the spell, but Rolan's heart would skip a beat as her gaze lingered on him. 

She gave a big smile before quickly casting the same spell to remove Jaheira's bracelet. 

It wasn't against the rules to remove the bracelet. 

The audience cheered in excitement as they both broke free of the magic suppressors. 

Jaheira transformed into a Owlbear to throw the opponents and Yvainne caused an ice storm to knock down the opponents around them. 

The crowds cheered enthusiastically, seeming so immersed in the spectacle that they ignored certain flaws. 

The opponents around them and the fake Jaheira would transform into what they really are. 

Dopplegangers. 

The audience would begin to look at each other in terror. 

Looking towards Gortash he would look furious trying to stop the games from continuing. 

It seems that dopplegangers are not contemplated as participants. 

Yvainne would extend his hands and part of the tattoos on his arm would emerge bright red to summon a circle of fire to incinerate the creatures leaving Minsc alone against Jaheira and her. 

Both women lunged at the mad Rasheemar who nimbly grabbed Yvainne's arm to pull her out of the circle causing her to crash backwards into the wall. And also breaking her arm. 

The crowd let out a gasp at the blow.

Rolan felt his blood freeze at the scene. Yvainne cringed from the staggering pain in her arm breaking her concentration on the circle of fire, Jaheira turned to either side worried about the Rahsheemar and Yvainne's pain. 

More Dopplegangers emerged from the crowd and rushed into the arena. The audience would begin to scream in panic causing them to rush towards the exit of the coliseum to flee. 

Gortash waved for the steel guards to jump into the arena to take down the dopplegangers. 

"And so begins the chaos with an alliance broken by its own self-interest. And that is the breach that the little mouse will have to exploit if she wants to save the city. - I entrust you to get her out of that hole alive." Rolan turned to look at the man who only smiled grimly and then snapped his fingers to vanish. 

As he quickly turned his gaze to Yvainne he would see that her arm adjusted and a faint blue light would emerge from her hand to regenerate with hunter's healing magic. 

A momentary resource. 

Yvainne sighed to get up to run with difficulty to grab one of the fake participant's weapons to hit the big man in the head to knock him out. Minsc would be knocked unconscious before long and the steel guards would begin to surround them. 

But a blinding explosion flooded the arena. Whatever it was, it stunned the steel guard and the three would be gone. 

Rolan sighed heavily relieved that they escaped, it wouldn't be long before he would find a way to get out of the place without encountering a crowd frightened by what had happened.

What he hadn't noticed was the small owl made of magic that had been keeping watch over Rolan's every action during the entire event. 

He walked through the streets processing everything that had happened at the festival.  

Arriving at Sunderous Sundries he found the shop crowded with people who wanted magical protection at all costs, but his co-workers seemed to handle it well, as did one of Lorroakan's projections. 

He quickly made his way up to the portal of the Ramazith tower. 

Only to find his master watching the city decorated by the intense golden rays of the sunset. 

"You're early, boy, and the favour I asked for?" Rolan tightened his arm, he had completely forgotten that he should be fetching a escort for his master. 

He turned to see his terrified face. 

"You're lucky there's no one of my interest except one person." Lorroakan's voice would drop to a tone with soft desire.

"That young woman with the long, fluffy hair…. Is she of your interest?" He felt his world shakes at Lorroakan's question, he could swear that no one was watching him. He could feel his heart fluttering like a frightened rabbit. 

"Excuse me, master, I…" He would approach Rolan with a threatening step.

"A truly beautiful woman. - I find it curious that my own apprentice would have such an interest as you used magic to help her. Am I wrong?" Rolan swallowed hard.  

Lorroakan grabbed one of his horns to direct it towards the broken part of the balcony, threatening to throw him to his death. 

For the first time Rolan would hold on tightly to the break in the balcony feeling a genuine terror for his life. 

"Y-yes, yes master Lorroakan" His cruel master laughed lightly at the desperate response to save his own life. 

He pulled Rolan's horn to force him into the room to take his staff to beat him, again and again, reaching a point where the vile wizard felt pain in his hands as a sign of growing calluses. 

"I always get what I want. You are nothing more than a disgusting Tiefling with an air of greatness, keep that in mind every time you are looked upon with the same contempt you are today." Lorrakan would carefully wipe the staff with a cloth. 

Rolan panted from the pain. He was dizzy from the beating and his ears were ringing, but he barely heard his cruel words.

"So if you see her again, please kindly take her with you in the tower so she could see the power of a true Archmage, she might be even more impressed."

"I wonder if he will have the same fierceness in bed…" His words would make his soul feel an unbelievable anger. He wanted to carbonize him right there. 

He wanted to strangle him. 

He wanted to kill him himself. 

"I know you won't disappoint me bringing her here. I don't think you're stupid enough to let yourself be beaten again." Lorroakan had left the room to go to his ostentatious bedroom to rest. 

Rolan with difficulty would try to get up, processing all the hatred he felt deep inside him accompanied by fear and regret. 

He must have brought someone from Sharess Caress to attend to his master's needs, so he wouldn't have taken such a sick interest in Yvainne.  

He found it strange that he didn't recognise his own student, but it didn't matter. All that mattered to him now was protecting her, she might outmatch him in magic or agility, but he would do whatever it took to keep her out of harm's way, especially from Lorroakan. 

He knew that his master had gained ways to become stronger in the magic, even if Yvainne fought him she would not be able to with those myrmidons on his sleeve. 

She could die in the attempt as well as he for trying to help her. 

It would be best if she avoided entering Sorcerous Sundries at all. It was the best way for him to protect her. 

If it meant never seeing her again, it was worth it as long as she was safe.  

Rolan leaned against the wall, still physically dazed after the hits. A faint smile would come to his face as he remembered how she turned to look at him with gratitude. 

To see that smile one last time would have encouraged him to endure a little more of the abuse. 

He wished he had heard her voice at the last time. 

And maybe just maybe, sinking into her neck to feel her soft scent telling him how much he regrets not having believed the woman he feels…

Love…

He loves her.

She had bewitched his body and soul.

And now he never wished to be parted from her.

Although that will be very difficult under the current circumstances.

BACK --- NEXT

[143bc]

Incorrect BeChloe quotes

(Beca comes home to a horny and furious Chloe)

Beca - what?

Chloe - really?! That’s the response you want to go with?!

Beca - you asked me to send you a pic of me pleasuring myself…

Chloe - and you feel the best response is to send me a pic of you eating Taco Bell?!?!

Beca - I’m sorry…?

Chloe - you will be!

(Chloe grasps Beca’s wrist, the brunette’s feet barely scraping the ground as she’s ‘escorted’ to the bedroom)

[estlemort]

ᅠ

⠀⠀⠀𝐂URIOSITIES :

tiene un trastorno de personalidad antisocial sin diagnosticar; desde niña tuvo llamadas de atención debido a que solía amenazar y / o intimidar a sus compañeros.

es actriz en pequeñas producciones de teatro y cabaret, un trabajo simple que la hace ser lo que siempre ha soñado ───y le sirve de tapadera.

las artes escénicas siempre fueron su pasión, al crecer en las calles de new york, su rutina incluía caminar por los teatros de broadway, mientras soñaba con presentarse ahí.

es muy fan de lovecraft, sus libros son en lo que invierte sus ingresos.

tiene un libro de repostería pero, por mucho que le interese aprender, la cocina no es uno de sus talentos ───ha llegado a quemar la cocina.

empezó a estudiar artes escénicas gracias a una beca, pero renunció a la universidad en cuando se involucró en el crimen.

desde los diecisiete años ha ofrecido servicios de escort, en un inicio por necesidad de tener un patrocinador ───en la actualidad es por estrategia para obtener información de figuras relevantes y usarles a su favor.

ᅠ

[anthonysstupiddailyblog]

Anthony's Stupid Daily Blog (741): Thu 28th Mar 2024

I also realised that ten years ago today I left HMRC. At the time of my departure I would have called this my worst job ever but prior to this role I had only had one other job, working at the Glass Centre which was awesome so bestowing the distinction of "worst job ever on it" wasn't exactly harsh since it had to be the worst job by default. However I'm now at the stage where I've had six proper jobs (one temp job and one that I can't really call a job beca use I only worked there for ten days and fucked off without collecting my paycheck because it was so awful) so I can now start to rank all of them from best to worst. I don't think I would class HMRC as my worst job ever anymore because although it ended badly mainly due to them putting me on a stage two sickness warning even though the time between my two instances of sick leave was over a year, it did at least start out well when it was exclusively a data entry role. I think the dubious honor of my worst job ever would definitely be between Aldi and TSB now. Aldi was fucking awful mainly due to the stupid rules the enforced namely that I had to be clean shaven all the time and that they try to sabotage their shelf stacker employees by taking things off / adding things to the pallets they need to empty by the end of the shift and then quiz them to see if they spotted them all like a game from the fucking Krypton Factor. TSB on the other hand was especially painful because unlike HMRC which had a script for their employees to follow when talking to customers, TSB had no such thing they just gave you a four week crash course and then told you that you needed to remember the whole thing and not make any mistakes because three mistakes in the space of a month could lead to dismissal. Also they fucked me over by telling me that any overtime you did past five hours meant you would get paid double so naturally I worked overtime every day for the month of February and then on pay day was told that the double time thing wasn't true and I was just paid my normal wages. As bad as TSB was it was a blessing in disguise because it made me realise that I can not do jobs where I have to interact with customers and as such I've now landed a warehouse job where I'm mostly left alone. I suppose this means I should have a fraction of gratitude to TSB and this should edge Aldi just ahead of it in terms of worst jobs but it's still like trying to decide between diving into a swimming pool filled with horse piss or donkey piss. I can still remember the day I left HMRC like it was yesterday. Tragically I can't remember what my final call was about because I finished it at around ten minutes before the end of my shift and my manager just told me to turn off my computer and sit out the final ten minutes (presumably so I didn't abuse my final customer which I totally would have). I shook hands with all my team mates and after handing in my badge my manager escorted me out of the building and I made my way up the hill listening to The Prisoner by Iron Maiden and I was in such a good mood that I stopped off at the toy store to buy Lacey a new Toy Story racing car. I was so happy to be free of that place and optimistic for what the future would hold. I wonder if I could travel back in time to that date and tell past me what the future held would he be put off? If I told him he would end up on the dole for a year and a half before working a temp job for a campaign to get children off fatty food, then working a job in a supermarket that started at five AM and wouldn't let me have a beard before a six month stretch in another call centre would his spirits be as high as he walked up that hill? I suspect if I also told him that he would re-enter the catering industry for a great job in a cafe that would last five years and would allow him enough free time to go see all his favourite bands then he probably wouldn't regret his decision to leave.

[lets-talk-appella]

It’s Legal in Munich

Ch 4/4

Summary: Lonely in Munich, Germany, Chloe hires an escort to pass the night. AU. Originally for Bechloe Week 2019: 20 Questions.

Words: 5k

Rating: T

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

AO3 and FFN

Chloe really should have seen this coming.

She’s definitely the kind of person to whom this would happen.

Still, here she is, packing her suitcase for the next chapter in her travel adventure and finding herself completely blindsided by how hard it is to move on from Beca.

Which is ridiculous. They aren’t together. They’d talked about how not-together they are. It should be a non-issue because they’re so not-together. It should be that simple. Chloe should be able to throw a wave and a smile over her shoulder at Beca and board her plane without ever looking back.

And yet.

It’s her own fault, really. It’s so easy to be around Beca. It feels natural, as if they were meant to have met. They’re so different from one another, but somehow they’re on the same wavelength. It has to be the music. That’s it. Beca lives and breathes music. She’s also kind, honest, and totally adorable. Even though she’d probably glare at Chloe if the word “adorable” was so much as whispered in her presence.

Chloe should have known better.

She’s not stupid. She knows her feelings won’t change a thing. She’s still getting on a plane tomorrow and leaving.

Beca isn’t going with her. Beca is staying in Munich, along with a much larger piece of Chloe’s heart than she would really like to admit.

Chloe folds her last blouse carefully, placing it neatly into the suitcase she’s packed and repacked and rearranged no fewer than four times so far. She’ll probably redo the whole thing at least once again before she actually leaves for the airport tomorrow.

She’s pretty much ready to go. She’s checked into her flight on their mobile app. She’s seen the big tourist draws in Munich, along with more of the local haunts—all thanks to Beca, of course. She’s got her S-Bahn ticket to the Munich airport. She’s memorized the route from her destination airport in Krakow, Poland to her hotel. Her suitcase is packed, and she’s left an outfit out for tomorrow.

Chloe stares at her suitcase, eyes traveling over its contents without really seeing any of it.

It doesn’t seem like Beca’s having all that hard of a time moving on. If she’s honest with herself, Chloe knows she should have seen this coming, too. Hadn’t Beca told her, after all, that what she does is run? Beca had always been honest with her about what was going to happen at the end of Chloe’s time in Munich. Beca had avoided labeling them, mostly for that reason.

Chloe hasn’t really heard from Beca in a while. Well, two days. Not since their electric scooter date. Which wasn’t a date, exactly, but was more of a… well, it was basically a date. She knows Beca is okay; they have been sending brief texts back and forth, but nothing of any substance. It makes sense. Chloe’s leaving tomorrow, so Beca is protecting herself. Chloe doesn’t fault her for it.

They’d agreed to meet up one more time for dinner at the same bierhaus Beca had taken her to earlier. A sort of farewell dinner that Chloe already knows is going to be, as everything with Beca always has been, fun and exciting and bittersweet and painful. Chloe takes a deep breath.

Maybe it would be better for her to cancel and save them the trouble. She can already picture the way Beca’s going to spend the dinner rubbing awkwardly at the back of her neck, her eyes darting around the room. She knows it isn’t that Beca is uncomfortable, but rather that Beca can’t stand goodbyes.

More than once, Chloe has caught Beca watching her, a strange expression on her face. Chloe never called her on it, though. She knows Beca’s struggling with this whole thing just as much as she is.

That’s the worst thing about this. Chloe knows perfectly well that Beca feels the same way about her. She can lie to herself all day, pretending that Beca doesn’t care, but it’s simply not true. Beca cares so much more than she feels comfortable with revealing.

A knock on the door startles Chloe, causing her to emit an involuntary little squeak of surprise. She looks at the closed door, already knowing who is standing in the hallway beyond it. She draws her lower lip into her mouth; it’s too late to cancel their evening after all.

She moves mechanically toward the door, her stomach fluttering with the same nerves she’d felt upon first meeting Beca. As she did then, too, she has to pause for a moment with her hand resting on the handle. She takes a deep breath. Another. Then opens the door, fighting a strong sense of Deja-vu.

The little smile-smirk that Beca gives her, though, is different from the one she’d given when they’d first met. This one is softer, more open, and is accompanied by a little, “Hey.” Beca, no matter how unwittingly and unwillingly, has become familiar. Her presence wraps Chloe in complete comfort.

Any thought that Chloe had had of cancelling their evening flies out the window at top speed and tips headlong over the balcony to shatter into fragments on the concrete below.

“Hi,” Chloe replies, her eyes drawn for the first time to the food containers Beca holds in her hands. “Is that...”

Beca glances down at the containers in her hands. “Oh, yeah. From the same bierhaus restaurant we went to before. It’s kind of raining, so I thought, you know, instead of going out, maybe we should just stay in?”

Chloe hadn’t even noticed the rain; as soon as Beca points it out, though, she can hear it gently pattering on the roof above. “Sure,” she agrees easily. “But don’t you think it’s more romantic to kiss in the rain?” She has no idea what makes her say those words, but they escape from her lips before she can even try to stop them.

Color rises in Beca’s cheeks unexpectedly and she glances downward with a small huff.

Her embarrassment surprises Chloe, and she tries to backtrack. “Um, I didn’t—”

“You have a balcony, don’t you?” Beca interrupts, arching an eyebrow as her color returns to normal. “We can always kiss on that.”

This time, it’s Chloe who finds herself tongue-tied. Before she can come up with any kind of counter, Beca continues.

“Unless you were hoping for one more stroll through Munich?” she offers. “Which would be fair.”

“Tempting,” Chloe muses, regaining her voice, “but a night in sounds really nice, too.”

Even as she finishes her sentence, she kicks herself mentally. Spending any more time alone with Beca is only going to make leaving her so much worse.

“Great,” Beca grins, her smile widening and eyes sparkling with amusement. “Are you gonna start by inviting me in?”

Chloe laughs quietly and rolls her eyes at the old joke. “Are you a vampire or something?” she asks playfully as she steps aside, gesturing Beca into the room. “Always having to be invited in.”

Beca steps inside, shrugging off her jacket in a move that really shouldn’t be sexy but totally is. “Nah, but how cool would it be if I could turn into a bat?”

“I’d rather not get rabies,” Chloe teases as she closes the door and locks it.

Beca’s smile changes into a smirk and she fires back, “I only bite if I’m asked to.”

It startles a laugh out of Chloe, full and free, and she knows Beca won that round. “Speaking of,” she begins, leading Beca to the balcony, “did you have a client last night? I was kind of surprised you were even free tonight.”

It’s Saturday, and typically, Beca’s time would be booked.

Beca’s expression shifts minutely, a flicker so quick that Chloe can’t be sure she hadn’t imagined it. “Nah. I haven’t really had clients the past few days.”

“Slow time?”

Beca shrugs. “I guess. What have you been up to?”

Chloe flicks open the latch on the room’s patio door and helps Beca carry the food out to the covered balcony, where they can eat on the little table and will be sheltered from the rain. Out here, the smell and sound of the rain ensnares Chloe, heightening her senses. “Mostly packing, honestly,” she answers. “Some walking around. And figuring out where I want to go after Krakow.”

“Poland?” Beca asks, sounding surprised as she settles into one of the chairs and divides the stack of containers between them. “What’re you going to do there? I’ve never been.”

“I guess there’s a lot to do in the main city square. Lots of good food, lots of history. It looks beautiful online.”

Beca smiles faintly, her eyes not quite meeting Chloe’s. “You’ll have to send me pictures.”

“Y—yeah,” Chloe breathes, the weight of her departure suddenly weighing heavy on her lungs. Desperate to change the subject and avoid the sad awkwardness she’d been dreading, she asks, “What did you bring to eat?”

“Oh, uh,” Beca starts, opening the containers and naming each dish as it’s exposed. She’d brought what seems to be samples of German essentials; schnitzel, spaetzle, white asparagus with hollandaise, various meats and cheese, and a huge pretzel. “And there’s always…” Beca trails off, lifting the lid off a final container to reveal two slices of chocolate cake. “I got the order right this time,” she grins at Chloe.

Chloe smiles back, surveying the food. “This is really nice, Bec, thank you.”

“Anytime,” Beca replies, looking out over the balcony railing to survey the sprawl of rainy Munich. Her posture is just a little too rigid, her tone a smidge clipped.

Chloe instantly knows there’s something Beca’s holding back. Her first impulse is to start questioning, but she catches herself. She knows Beca well enough by this point to understand that Beca will open up when she’s ready. So, to pass the time, Chloe starts on the meal, trying to savor every bite. She doesn’t know when she’ll be in Germany again, and she wants to memorize its flavors.

Beca eventually tears her gaze away from the rain-soaked city to instead focus on their meal. It’s several minutes before either of them breaks the silence, though Chloe’s fairly certain she can hear the whirring of Beca’s mind.

“So, uh, actually…” Beca breaks the quiet first, clearing her throat and looking almost nervous.

Chloe swallows her most recent bite of food and rests her fork against the edge of her plate, waiting patiently for Beca to say what she needs to say.

“Sorry I haven’t really been around much the last few days,” Beca says slowly. She presses her lips together and runs her tongue over her teeth before continuing, every word spoken almost cautiously. “I’ve been kind of... arranging things.”

“Things?” Chloe asks, surprised. The script is, as is always the case with Beca, not what she had expected.

“Yeah. Um, the day we did the scooter... thing,” Beca reminds her, waving a hand in the air aimlessly, “I got an email from my old boss in LA. The music production studio?” the pitch of her voice raises, making it sound like a question.

Chloe’s heart speeds up and she nods uncertainly, her stomach fluttering with a mixture of anticipation and nerves.

“Yeah,” Beca says again, “so I guess my boss kind of—on a whim—shared some of my old demos with a few different production studios, and this place in New York got back to him. They’re interested. In what I can do,” she adds, an afterthought.

Chloe’s jaw drops. She knows she must look ridiculous; Beca starts to smirk at her, but Chloe recovers quickly enough to speak first. “Beca! That’s amazing! You—congratulations!”

“Oh, uh, thanks,” Beca says, blinking a little.

“No, really, that’s—what’s it called, the place in New York?”

Beca screws up her nose in thought. “BFD? I’d never heard of them, but I guess it’s an up and coming company.”

“That could be an amazing opportunity,” Chloe hedges, craving more details.

“Yeah, I… yeah.”

“Beca.”

“Hmm?”

“Did you give them an answer?” Chloe actually thinks she might explode if Beca doesn’t start giving details.

“Oh. Well, it doesn’t really work like that. Like, I have to interview and stuff,” Beca clarifies, looking more awkward by the second.

Chloe forces herself to calm down and count to five before asking her next in a series of questions; as excited as she is for Beca, she doesn’t want to force her into doing anything she doesn’t truly want to do.

“Do you want to interview?” she eventually asks, taking a bite of asparagus to seem nonchalant.

Beca hesitates, then gives a single jerky nod. “Yeah, it—it’s terrifying,” she huffs with a little smile, “but I said yes. To an interview. Terrifying and exciting,” she adds, another afterthought.

“It definitely is both terrifying and exciting, for sure,” Chloe agrees. “Though I’d have said you were crazy if you hadn’t agreed.”

“It feels a little crazy to interview anyway,” Beca shrugs, now reaching for her slice of cake. “It’s been so long.”

“Maybe. But they’re going to love you. How could they not?” Chloe asks before she can stop herself. Her face warms and she tries to hide it by taking another bite of her food. “So, uh, is it over Skype or phone or…”

“No, they want to show me around in person,” Beca mumbles through her mouthful of dessert. “I have to go over there.”

“That’s a good sign! When?”

“I fly out tomorrow.”

The words land between them, flopping unexpectedly onto the table. For a moment, Chloe simply looks at Beca and Beca simply looks at Chloe.

“Tomorrow…” Chloe trails off. Tomorrow is turning out to be a big day.

Beca nods maybe over-enthusiastically. “I checked, and our flights are actually pretty close together. We could—we could go to the airport together, if you want.”

Chloe doesn’t want to go to the airport together at all, because every additional minute she spends with Beca, it becomes that much harder to be able to leave. At the same time, it would also mean prolonging the time they have together.

“That would be awes,” she says, now starting on her own slice of cake.

“Cool,” Beca sighs happily, sitting back in her chair. “And, uh, also, I quit my job as an escort.”

“You did?” Chloe asks, surprise rippling through her.

“Yeah. I mean, I wasn’t going to, because if this whole interview thing doesn’t work out… well, I still need a job,” Beca says practically. “But I was thinking about it, and I decided that even if it doesn’t work out, maybe it’s time for me to try to, you know, figure things out.”

Chloe knows she’s smiling like an idiot, but she can’t help it. “Bec, that’s… I’m so proud of you! That takes a lot.”

Beca smiles at her happily. “You inspired me, I guess.”

And Chloe doesn’t really know what to say to that—her heart is beating too loudly for her to really think of anything—so she settles for a wink and another bite of cake. Beca’s eyes don’t leave her as she eats, searching her expression until it starts to make Chloe self-conscious.

“Do I have something on my face again?” she asks, mostly teasing.

Beca blinks and seems to shake herself. “Oh, no, just… what about you?”

“Hmm? What about me.”

“You know,” Beca lifts one shoulder. “With the vet stuff. With Aubrey. With singing and all that.”

“Oh.” Chloe again pauses, resting her fork on the table. “That.”

Beca grins crookedly at her but doesn’t say anything. She pushes away her now-empty cake container.

“I… don’t know,” Chloe says slowly. “I’ve been thinking and… I don’t know.”

Beca shrugs. “You don’t have to know right now,” she says softly.

“Yeah, I…” Chloe sighs. “I know that I can’t stay here forever. But… vet school has always been the plan, but I don’t know… what if I don’t get accepted anywhere?”

The question seems to catch them both by surprise; Chloe hadn’t realized that such a prospect frightened her so much, and Beca stares at her for a moment, blinking slowly.

Beca recovers first. “You’ll get in,” she says, eyes wide. “You’re really smart. And, you know, on the off chance if not, there are other options.”

“I suppose.”

Beca watches her, expression turning calculating. “I could see you as a music teacher.”

“Yeah?” Chloe asks, surprised again.

“Definitely.”

“I have thought about that before, actually.”

Beca lifts a hand to her chin, narrowing her eyes in thought. “It would suit you, I think.”

Chloe snorts at her ridiculous expression. “I would want to do elementary school, probably. Because—”

“Because you could teach them to love music,” Beca guesses. It’s not a question.

Chloe stares at her. Is it really possible that Beca already knows her that well? “I… yeah, exactly. You just… exactly.”

“I like that. You’d be great at that, too.”

Chloe toys with her napkin, the harder part of Beca’s question bouncing around her head now. “I think I should call Aubrey,” she eventually says.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Just to see,” Chloe shrugs, a finger tracing absently over the details in the grain of the wooden table. “I miss her.”

“I hope it works out between you two.”

“Me too.”

They both fall quiet, the gentle rain the only sound breaking the silence. Chloe shifts in her chair, a weird mood settling over her and pressing on her lungs. She finds herself thinking that if she and Beca had met sooner—maybe while they’d both been at Barden—they each could have figured out their lives that much sooner.

Maybe sensing Chloe’s shift in mood, Beca clears her throat. “So, do you want to watch a movie or anything?”

“A movie would be good,” Chloe replies gratefully, her wishful thinking scattering to the wind as she and Beca rise simultaneously from their chairs to clear the table.

It doesn’t take long to gather the empty food containers and utensils. With another look over the balcony at the darkening Munich horizon, Chloe follows Beca back inside the room and slides the patio door closed. They place the food containers on the room’s service cart and, without further ado, Chloe climbs onto her king-sized bed, props a pillow against the headboard, and leans back against it.

Still standing at the foot of the bed, Beca hesitates, her eyes flicking in the direction of the armchair as if she isn’t sure if she should join Chloe. Refraining from rolling her eyes in amusement, Chloe pats the space next to her on the bed pointedly.

“Right,” Beca mutters before joining Chloe on the bed. The mattress dips and moves as she crawls on her hands and knees to get to the head of the bed, and for some reason, the sight makes Chloe’s stomach flutter. Reaching her, Beca also props a pillow against the headboard, glancing up at the bottom of the storage cabinets above their heads.

“Comfy?” Chloe asks.

“Yep,” Beca says happily, settling back against her pillow. “Uh, I guess now we find the movie channel?”

“Thought you didn’t like movies,” Chloe remembers, reaching for the remote. “You sure about this?”

“Just don’t pick a boring movie,” Beca teases.

“I’ll do my best.”

She clicks the remote to turn on the TV, not sure what to expect. The first channel seems to be a news broadcast, given in German. She frowns and clicks the remote, scrolling through channel after channel, hoping for something watchable. Except...

Beca laughs as Chloe circles back all the way to the original news broadcast. “It’s in German. All of it.”

Chloe huffs. “I know we’re in Munich, but every channel is in German? Really?”

Beca bumps their shoulders together playfully. “It’s all good. Or I should say gut.”

“Okay, let’s just…” Chloe trails off, scrolling back a couple of channels until she goes back to what could be a German soap opera. She gestures to the TV, an actor’s dramatically brooding face filling the screen. “What do you think he’s saying?”

“Hmm,” Beca muses, staring at the screen for a moment. The actor mumbles something in rapid German, his face twisting. “I think he said, ‘I had a bad chalupa for lunch and now I regret it.’”

Chloe lets out a snort.

“All right, let’s see you do any better, nerd,” Beca goads her.

The soap opera cuts to an actress, tearful and heavily pregnant. She stares beseechingly at the handsome actor, asking him something in a quavering voice.

“Okay, so,” Chloe gets ready to translate, “she said, ‘This is what happens when you swallow watermelon seeds.’”

Beca’s lips twitch as she stares at the TV. “Interesting, interesting. I could see that.”

“I’m so good at German.”

“Definitely,” Beca says, looking over at Chloe, locking eyes.

Chloe’s breath catches in her throat; she hadn’t expected Beca’s face to be quite so close to hers.

The world around them fades away until Beca consumes Chloe’s every sense. She’s very aware of Beca, of every quiet breath she takes, of the blue of her eyes. She’s most aware of Beca’s proximity to her, the space of only a few inches separating them.

Beca’s eyes flick down to her lips. “What happens now?” she breathes.

“I don’t know,” Chloe whispers.

Beca lifts a shoulder. “Maybe it’s time for both of us to go home.”

A dull pain races through Chloe’s chest at the thought. “I… I don’t want to go home without you.”

Beca’s eyes close and she takes a deep breath. “Chloe, we can’t… tomorrow, we’re both—”

“I know.”

Beca’s eyes open again. “Okay,” she sighs, but then a corner of her mouth quirks up. “You want to play twenty questions?”

Chloe nods, her breath catching in her throat. Allowing her own eyes to drop to Beca’s lips, she asks, “Can I kiss you?”

It’s Chloe’s question, but it’s Beca who moves first. A hand rises to cup Chloe’s cheek gently at the same time Beca’s lips meet hers. She starts slow and soft, all gentle pressure that only builds when Chloe sighs into it, parting her lips.

Beca’s lips, soft and slightly chapped, meet hers again and again, each time at a new, more perfect angle. The hand on Chloe’s cheek slides around to the back of her neck, as if Beca instinctively knows the angle of the kiss is harsh.

Chloe’s own hands move, one bracing herself up on the mattress and the other resting on Beca’s hip. Under her touch, Beca is warm and solid. Their breath mingles, and Chloe is able to taste the hint of chocolate on Beca’s. Chloe’s lower lip is snared gently between Beca’s teeth; it pulls a soft whimper from within her chest and Beca smiles into the kiss, pressing closer.

Chloe has never been kissed like this before, so slow and thorough. She’s had her share of good and great kisses. Every kiss with Beca prior to this had been nothing less than amazing. But this is different. Chloe had always believed her body belongs to her, and to her alone. Right now, though… yours, she thinks as Beca deepens the kiss. I’m yours.

The curl of Beca’s tongue around her own makes Chloe’s fingers curl into the denim at Beca’s hip. She pulls, guides, until she’s lying on the bed with Beca half on top of her.

“Chloe,” Beca breathes, pulling back slightly, and for a second, Chloe’s terrified she’s about to stop. But then Beca’s mouth descends along her jaw, until Chloe has to tilt her head to expose more of her neck to Beca’s lips. Her fingers wind themselves into Beca’s tresses, and when Beca pauses at her pulse point, Chloe knows she must be able to feel how quickly her heart is pounding.

At the first touch of Beca’s tongue on her skin, Chloe gasps and arches. Again, Beca pauses, only to pull Chloe’s skin into her mouth more firmly, marking her. Chloe chokes on air, desire welling inside her and building low in her gut, and her hands drop to Beca’s backside, pulling her hips forward.

This time, it’s Beca who gasps, a broken breath leaving her and dissipating over Chloe’s overheated skin. “I…”

Drawing her lip between her teeth, hoping above all she isn’t reading things wrong, Chloe takes her hands from Beca’s ass to instead reach between them, unbuttoning Beca’s top. Beca goes still above her but doesn’t say anything. Her breathing becomes rapid puffs as Chloe undoes the last button and the shirt falls open.

Chloe just looks for a moment, stares at Beca’s chest in her simple black bra, before reaching to touch her gently. Beca’s eyes flutter and her head drops so she rests her forehead against Chloe’s.

“Chloe,” she whispers again. “You know—”

“I know,” Chloe says, her hands sliding over Beca’s bare skin to rest on her lower back. “But I don’t care.”

Beca stares down at her for a moment, eyes jumping between each of her own. Chloe waits, her entire body screaming for Beca’s touch. When Beca sits up, Chloe’s stomach plummets. But then Beca allows her shirt to slide the rest of the way from her shoulders and reaches to the headboard; she flicks a little switch, and the room lights go out as soft light emits from above the bed.

Chloe blinks up, surprised. “How did you know about that?”

Beca smiles down at her, features soft in the warm lighting. “I saw it the first time I was here.”

Chloe gives a small laugh that breaks off as the tips of Beca’s fingers toy with the hem of her shirt. They trace back and forth for several long seconds, until Chloe becomes impatient. She reaches down and sits up so she can whip the shirt over her head and off the side of the bed. Beca’s eyes drop immediately, and when Chloe lies down again, she pulls Beca back down on top of her.

Beca kisses her again, deep and searing, again breaking away to kiss down her jaw, her neck, her chest. She shifts again, her thigh landing high between Chloe’s. Fire races down Chloe’s spine and she arches, her own hand winding into her hair.

“Bec,” she gasps, and Beca’s lips return to hers.

“You’re so beautiful,” Beca says between kisses. “So, so beautiful.”

Completely overwhelmed, Chloe squirms under Beca, trying to pull her closer. Her hands slide over Beca’s bra strap, and she drags her nails lightly down Beca’s back until she finds the waistband of her pants. Beca stills over her as Chloe’s fingers slide around her hips to rest at the button of her jeans.

Beca pulls away so they can look into each other’s eyes. “Chlo…”

“Do you—” Chloe has to pause to moisten her lips. “Can we—”

“Are you sure?”

“Completely.” Chloe doesn’t hesitate. She has no reason to.

Beca’s eyes flutter again, and when she looks at Chloe, it takes Chloe’s breath from her lungs. “Okay,” she says, pressing a gentle kiss to Chloe’s lips. “Yes.”

With trembling fingers, Chloe opens the button and draws down the zipper.

*****************************

They’d taken a train to the airport. They’d gone through security together. They’d wasted as much time as possible wandering the hallways between gates, hand-in-hand as they looked through the ridiculously overpriced shops before returning to Beca’s gate, as her flight leaves first. Chloe knows they’ve only delayed the inevitable, though, and before she’s entirely ready (not that she’d ever really be ready), it’s time.

The desk attendant calls for boarding and, though it’ll take a little while until Beca’s zone is called, Chloe knows they have to say their goodbyes.

“So,” Beca starts, glancing over at her.

“Yeah,” Chloe sighs, something in her chest giving an uncomfortable tug.

“Yeah.”

They look at each other for a long moment.

“Um—”

“Beca—”

They try to speak simultaneously, and it breaks off into an awkward laugh. Beca rubs at the back of her neck.

“You go first,” Chloe says, knowing Beca would rather get it out of the way.

“Well,” Beca huffs with a small smile. “I was just gonna say that I’m glad you were bored enough in Munich to hire an escort to play twenty questions.”

Chloe feels a corner of her mouth lift. “I’m glad, too.”

Beca grins at her crookedly, then rubs at the end of her nose with the palm of her hand. “Um, what were you gonna say?”

“Oh, uh, I was going to say that I’m glad it was you,” Chloe says delicately. Because it would have been entirely inappropriate to voice what she’d really been wanting to say—Take me with you—and what she ended up saying is completely true anyway.

Beca gives her that signature close-lipped smile. “So, um, I don’t know if this interview… I mean, it’s still early stages,” she says, as though she isn’t almost guaranteed the job. Chloe knows she’ll get the job; how could she not? “But either way, I think I’ll be staying there—New York—for a little while. And, you know, if you want, when you get back—”

“I’ll call you,” Chloe promises, entwining their fingers together. “Definitely.”

“I don’t know for sure what’ll happen.”

“Neither do I. We match.”

“Cool,” Beca laughs right as the desk attendant calls for final boarding. “I should—”

“Totes,” Chloe says, trying to force a smile as they stand from the uncomfortable gate seats.

Beca checks that she has her bag and hadn’t left anything behind before meeting Chloe’s eyes. “Good luck out there, Chlo,” she says, blinking more often than she normally might.

“You too, Bec,” Chloe manages, her own eyes starting to sting.

There’s a beat of silence where Chloe isn’t sure if they should kiss or not, but the crowd around them makes the decision for them. Instead, she pulls Beca into a tight hug, burying her nose into her neck and inhaling the scent of her shampoo.

She hadn’t known Beca long, but Beca feels like home.

Beca has to pull away first. With a nod and a vague gesture in the direction of the dwindling line to board the plane, she starts walking. Chloe thinks she might make some parting noise, but her own throat is too tight to respond.

Still, she watches as Beca joins the line, watches Beca had her boarding pass to the ticketer to be scanned. With barely a glance back and not much fanfare, she watches Beca turn and enter the tunnel, and then she’s gone.

Walking to her own gate, Chloe smiles. She’s definitely texting Beca as soon as she lands.

[lotrthobbit]

                        My Loyal Servant 

Lindir x elf! fem reader

I do not own the gifs used

One-shot

warning: angst, slight smut _ Minors DNI !!!

backstory: You are one of Elrond's daughters who met Lindir during your 'teenage' years and now you are both adult elves.

[y/n pov]

" princess." I turned around to come face to face with yet another suitor that my father has chosen for me.Prince Legolas of Mirkwood .

" yes ?" I looked up at him, I had been staring off into the beautiful view of the many mountains surrounding us and the breathtaking sun set.

" I do not wish to marry anyone, you are very beautiful but-"

" I know Prince Legolas, I know you wish to explore and do nothing more than to find your own path, I... I want to follow my own path as well."

" Then why don't you join me ? Perhaps you may discover a warm hearth of your own."

" No, I found mine, but alas my father does not approve."

He looked into the distance staring at the same sunset I had found myself lost in," I was once the same, loved someone who my father did not approve. "

" What happened to them ?"

" They loved another..."

" I'm sorry."

He smiled and nodded before getting up and bowing." I will be taking my leave princess."

I simply smiled and stayed seated. Will I lose the one I love as well ?

" my lady ?" I look up to see the one person who brightens up my world, Lindir.

" yes Lindir ?" I asked, " Your father requests to see you."

I smiled and got up, Lindir offered his arm and escorted me to the beautiful gardens, there my father was sitting enjoying a cup of tea.

" You wished to speak to me father ?" I asked.

He stood and offered the seat next to him and nodded towards Lindir, causing him to leave.

" We have much to speak about my dear."

I sat next to my father on the bench and asked," What are we going to speak about ?"

" Your marriage to Prince Legolas."

" Father.... I think Legolas and I are not suited for one another."

" Nonsense ! You two are perfect, both are high elves from esteemed families."

" I-Father, I love someone else."

" You do not know what love is, you are infatuated with someone else, but once you marry Legolas that infatuation will disappear. "

" B-but father... I know its love."

" Do not speak back to me ! It has been settled that you will marry Legolas !"

" Arwen was able to marry Aragorn ! Why can I not choose who I wish to marry ?!"

" And Arwen will pay the consequences with her own life, she chose the path of a human."

" But father- he is not hu-"

" Lindir will no longer be your personal servant, he will move elsewhere in the palace."

" BUT FATH-"

" No buts!" he got up and quickly walked away as I clenched my fists, How could this happen ? How did he know ?

I felt the tears slip out as I stared into the garden ahead of me, remembering the countless Times that I sat here with Lindir wishing to run away together.

Why does he not let me choose my own path ?

" Princess?"

That sweet voice, I turned to see a concerned Lindir. I sniffed and tried wiping my tears and threw on a smile," He knows ."

He looked at me," I know."

" How ?" I asked. He looked down," Because I told him."

My eyes widened as I looked straight into his eyes," Why ?!"

" Beca-because I no longer love you."

I looked him straight into his eyes, hoping to see his true emotions, but all I saw was coldness, nothing but venom.

I shook my head and walked away. Once I felt the distance I began to run away into my bedroom and threw myself onto my bed.

It seemed like everything was being destroyed, how could he not love me after he had told me I reminded him of the beautiful stars in the night sky. With determination I sat up and walked out making my way towards the servant quarters.

Once I made it to his room I did not knock, my anger blinded me as I walked in," I will not-"

I was cut off at the screaming and scuffling, before me was Lindir, his bare chest in full view, he was changing his clothing.

" Princess-"

I cut him off," Silence, do not speak but listen. I- You are a horrible person Lindir, you lull me with such sweet and kind words, tell me you loved me and gave me my first kiss, yet suddenly you decide that you no longer love me anymore ?! Why have you played with my heart ? Do my feelings not matter ?!" I was waving my arms, my anger was beginning to sizzle into sadness.

"I.. Please princess do not make me do this."

" Do what ?!"

" You deserve to be with someone of the same standing, someone grand, someone who can buy you everything your beautiful heart desires, the finest silks for a beautiful face and body, all the books for the most brilliant mind. I can not offer that, I am simply a Servant."

" When are you going to get through you thick skull that I do not want nor need that ! I love you and I always chose you." I Yelled out, my chest puffing as I was trying to catch my breath from yelling and clenching my fists against my robes.

He did not utter a word until I turned around and said," so be it, I will Marry Legolas, he will love me, kiss me, make sweet love to-"

I was cut short as he pushed me against the wall, his bare chest pressing against my back," do...do not utter such words." he growled.

"why does it bother you? You already told me that you do not love me anymore." I felt the tears fall from my eyes as I looked into Lindir's," Am I so easily disposable to you ?" I felt my voice break.

He grabbed my cheeks and pulled my face into a long and -passionate kiss, " You could never be disposed of, you're the love of my life, but you know we can not be together."

I looked down at my feet, he was right, my father will only send Lindir away and I would still be forced to wed Prince Legolas and move into Mirkwood.

" Please, can we be together for one more night ?" I looked back up as I pleaded, knowing this would truly be the last time we would see one another as lovers. He placed his forehead against mine as he whispered, " as you wish my love."

I had finally retreated back into my quarters after I had spent the day avoiding my father and acting normal with the new maid at my side. She had finally left me alone and I stood staring outside of my window at the beautiful stars. How cruel was this life that I could not even spend it with the one that I love ?

I heard a very quiet knock, I got up and opened the door quietly to see Lindir. He quickly latched his lips against mine and closed the door behind him. We fell atop of my bed and continued kissing.

His touch felt like electricity on my skin as we both undressed one another. The moon was illuminating the room as the small candle in the corner of my bedroom was slowly dimming itself.

The thought itself of letting go brought more tears to my eyes and down my cheeks. He looked at me lovingly and kissed my tears away and whispered endless 'I love you' to me.

He left a trail of kisses from my jaw down towards the valley of mu breasts, leaving marks on them and abusing the skin. Knowing it was the last time we could have these moments I gripped the bed sheets under me tighter trying to surpass these thoughts as he whispered," just focus on me, my love, It's just us and no one else. "

I looked into his eyes and nodded and placed both of my legs atop of his shoulder and he placed kisses between my lips. He slowly began to drag his tongue between them placing pressure on my clit as he rubbed the outside of my needy hole. I found myself becoming wetter by the second as he inserted a finger into it and continued to suck and abuse my cunt. I felt euphoria. It was just us and no one else.

" Come undone my love, I am here to savor every moment of it."

And I did come undone as I gripped the bedsheets and moaned, secretly hoping no one could hear the lewd noises coming out of my being.

He then came back up and kissed my lips and held me in his arms.

" Please let me in."

I felt him slowly coming inside me, the pain was excruciating, but nothing could compare to the pain I will feel after this night is over. We became one as he held my hands and began thrusting, He never once stopped kissing me, I felt his tears fall onto my face, the saltiness mixing into the kiss.

The moon was bright, illuminating our sweaty bodies, the candle died. He pulled out and laid on my chest after we both reached ecstasy, basking in each others warmth.

He cried into my chest, I felt pain in my chest as I stoked his hair. He kissed my forehead, cheeks, then lips.

" I am so sorry my love, I would do anything just to be with you." I felt myself whimper and hug him close, " Lindir...I don't want to leave you."

" I know my love.."

.

.

.

That did not stop him from leaving my room in the middle of the night. There I was.... laying in my bed, despite the many furs covering my skin, I still could feel the cold.

perhaps in another life we can meet again....

AN: Sorry I kinda lost sight of this story, so apologies if its a little messy.

[bechloeislegit]

STRONGER Chapter 11

Later that evening, Beca and Aubrey stood silently by as Chloe faced down Joe. They were discussing the best way to allow Chloe and the Bellas to continue rehearsals and keep everyone safe. Or actually, Joe was trying to convince Chloe to cancel the Bellas rehearsals until Roger Daniels was in custody.

"Miss Beale," Joe said beseechingly. "Our number one priority is your safety and those around you. I understand you need to attend classes, but any extracurricular activities will need to be put on hold until Daniels is caught. Surely, you can understand that."

Chloe stood with her arms crossed, glaring at Joe.

"No, I don't understand that," Chloe said. "We'll all be in one place and easy to keep an eye on. There are only two ways to get into the auditorium, and there are two of you assigned to follow me around. Why can't those two escort me to the Auditorium and then stand watch at the two entrances?"

"Beca, help me talk some sense into your girlfriend," Joe said, looking at Beca.

"Nope," Beca said. "I'm with Chloe on this."

"Come on, Beca," Joe said pleadingly.

"No, Joe," Beca said. "Chloe makes a very valid point, and all she's trying to do is keep things as normal as possible. And having Bellas rehearsals is as normal as you can get. It wouldn't be fair to the rest of the Bellas if we cancel rehearsal with no end as to when we'd start up again. We have competitions to prepare for."

"Beca's right," Aubrey said. "We Bellas stick together, so if your guys are keeping an eye on things outside the Auditorium, we can keep an eye on things inside."

"Plus, we need the Bellas in one place so Chloe can tell them what's going on," Beca added. "They could be in danger by association. It doesn't feel right not telling them."

"She's right," Chloe said. "I don't want any of them to get hurt because this guy found out who my friends are."

Joe sighed. "I guess there's no point in suggesting that you invite them all here to tell them, is there?"

"None," Chloe responded, resolute in her stance.

"Wait a second, Chloe," Beca said, getting Chloe to look at her. "That might not be a bad idea. We were planning a dinner party for Saturday to celebrate your birthday. If Daniels is still at large, we'll have to cancel it or have it here. Instead, why don't we reschedule it for tomorrow and invite everyone over here? You can tell them about your stalker and let them decide if they want to cancel rehearsals until he's caught."

"That all sounds good in theory, Beca," Aubrey said. "But what if some of them want to cancel rehearsals and some of them don't?"

"We take a vote, and majority rules," Beca said. "And we'll reassure them that the police will be close by during rehearsals to make sure we're all safe, right, Joe?"

Joe sighed and nodded his head. "Okay. We can work something out to make sure everyone is safe if you choose to have your rehearsals."

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Chloe asked smugly. "I'm going to put together a group text to the Bellas, telling them of the change in plans. I'll just tell them we're having a Bellas meeting here instead of rehearsal and that dinner will be provided. How does that sound?"

"I'm Captain. I'll send the text," Aubrey said.

"And, you'll agree to do what the majority vote on?" Beca asked.

Aubrey clenched her teeth and gave Beca a squinty-eyed look. "I'm not a dictator, Beca."

"Could have fooled me," Beca muttered.

"Behave," Chloe hissed, smacking Beca on the arm.

"What?"

"We will vote, and I will abide by whatever the majority decides," Aubrey concluded.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

Meanwhile, across campus, Stacie and Fat Amy were at a Frat party when the text from Aubrey came through. They both read the text, and Stacie looked at Fat Amy.

"I wonder why they're changing Chloe's birthday dinner to Beca's house," Stacie said.

"Probably has something to do with Chloe's stalker," Amy said.

"What?!" Stacie exclaimed, grabbing Amy's arm. "Chloe has a stalker?"

"Eh, um, yeah?"

"How do you know about him?"

"Chloe told us when we had Thanksgiving at Beca's mom's house," Amy said. "He's the reason why Chloe's staying at Beca's instead of her own place."

"He knows where…" Stacie said, her eyes widening. "I think I saw him. So that's why Beca got so upset with me."

"Where? When?" Amy asked. "Did you tell the police?"

"They know," Stacie said as she grabbed Fat Amy's arm and dragged her out of the frat house.

Once outside, Stacie told Amy about what happened with Beca and the stranger she had seen outside Chloe and Aubrey's apartment.

"The police told me if I saw him again, not to engage him in any way and to call them immediately."

"So, he is here?" Amy asked. "In Barden?"

"Looks like he is."

Both girls shivered and looked around. Stacie looked at her phone and started texting.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

"Stacie just texted asking if we changed the party because of Chloe's stalker," Aubrey said, looking at Beca. "I thought you said you didn't tell her anything."

"I didn't," Beca said.

"Then, how does she know about him?" Aubrey asked.

"I don't know," Beca said. "Maybe Ashley or Jessica or Fat Amy told her. Chloe told them at Thanksgiving."

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

Also, across campus, Jessica and Ashley were studying in the library.

"I bet they changed it because of Chloe's stalker," Ashley said after reading the text.

"I bet you're right," Jessica said as another text came through. "Stacie seems to think it is, too."

"I wonder who told Stacie," Ashley said.

The two Bellas looked at each other and simultaneously said, "Fat Amy."

They both laughed and were shushed by those around them. They looked around apologetically and returned to their studies.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

"Chloe has a stalker?" Cynthia Rose mumbled, having read both Aubrey and Stacie's texts.

Cynthia Rose sent a new text directly to Chloe.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

Back at Beca's, Chloe's phone pinged with a text.

"Aww," Chloe said, looking at her phone. "Cynthia Rose was checking to see if I was okay. I guess she read Stacie's text, too."

"Maybe someone should respond to Stacie's text to let everyone know we will fill them in tomorrow," Beca said.

"On it," Chloe said, typing out a text to the group. "How does this sound? Yes, I have a stalker. I will tell everyone about it at dinner tomorrow. Until then, don't worry, I'm safe at Beca's and am under police protection."

"That's good," Beca said.

"I agree," Aubrey said. "Send it."

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

The girls were sitting around talking about the next night's dinner when Beca stood and grabbed a hoodie and put it on, mumbling, "I'll be right back."

"Everything okay?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah," Beca said. "I just need to talk to Joe."

"Okay," Chloe said.

"I think I'm going to head up to bed," Aubrey said. "Goodnight."

"I'm going to go on up, too," Chloe said. "Don't be too long."

"I won't," Beca said, kissing Chloe. "Goodnight, Aubrey."

Beca walked outside and toward the car that Joe and Mark were sitting in. The two officers got out of the car and met Beca halfway.

"Is everything alright, Beca?" Joe asked.

"Everything's fine," Beca said. "It's just that with Daniels being seen at Chloe's apartment, I wasn't able to get to the grocery store like I had planned. So, I wanted to make plans to be able to go to the store in the morning. I have to get stuff to make dinner for the Bellas."

"I'll brief Trish and Lou when they arrive for the shift change in the morning," Joe said.

"I need to go early so I can be back here before ten," Beca said. "Our insurance guy is supposed to come by to check out the damage my dad did to my car."

"We can work that out," Joe said.

"Will you want someone to go with you?" Mark asked.

"I don't think so," Beca said. "Chloe has an early class, so Trish and Lou should go with her; I'll be fine on my own."

"Okay," Joe said. "Have a good night."

"Goodnight," Beca said and went inside.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

The next morning, Beca kissed Chloe as she and Aubrey left for classes. Beca then bustled around gathering everything she needed to go grocery shopping. Her phone rang just as she picked up Chloe's list of the things she and Aubrey wanted and needed. There was also some cash to help with the cost.

"Hey, mom," Beca said, answering the call.

"Hey," Sarah said. "I was just calling to remind you about the insurance adjuster coming by today."

"I remember," Beca said. "I was just on my way out to the store. I need to get the stuff for the Bellas dinner we're having for Chloe's birthday tonight."

"I thought that was scheduled for Saturday," Sarah said.

"We had to reschedule it since Roger Daniels was spotted here in Barden," Beca said.

"What?!" Sarah gasped. "We hadn't heard about that. Are they sure he's there?"

"Yep," Beca said. "Stacie saw him at Chloe's apartment and positively identified him from a photo lineup Joe showed her."

"How's Chloe handling it? Is she okay?"

"She's handling it about as well as you'd expect," Beca said. "Mainly, she's scared, frustrated, and just wants him caught."

"I'll tell Charlotte and Carl," Sarah said. "They're going to be upset that no one contacted them to let them know."

"Tell them I'm sorry we didn't call," Beca said. "It happened early yesterday, and Chloe was overwhelmed and frightened, and then Aubrey returned, and things got busy. I thought the police would have called to let them know, so I honestly never thought of calling."

"It's okay," Sarah said. "As long as I can assure them that Chloe is safe, I'm sure they'll be fine."

"She's safe. I promise," Beca said. "There is a 2-officer team with her at all times. And Chloe and Aubrey are both staying here for their safety."

"That's good," Sarah said.

"I really have to go if I want to be back here by ten," Beca said.

"You be careful," Sarah said. "And, call me after the insurance agent is gone. Love you."

"I will," Beca said. "And, I love you, too."

Beca ended the call and rushed to the garage. She took a moment to look at her car and could only shake her head. Joe had told her heard the judge let her father go on bail, but she hadn't seen or heard from him. She got into the mother's car and left.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

Beca put away the groceries and then sat on the sofa to wait for the insurance agent. She thought about prepping some things for dinner but didn't want to be in the middle of it when he showed up. So she sat and waited.

"I guess I can get some of my class reading done," Beca mumbled as she picked up one of her textbooks.

Beca started reading and used her highlighter to mark certain passages she thought were interesting. She suddenly heard a dog barking outside.

"Mr. Kidwell's lab," Beca mumbled.

She then heard a loud grinding, squeaking-type noise and thought, "I wonder when Mr. Jeffers is going to get the brakes on his wife's car fixed." She snickered. "He's probably hoping she has an accident so he can collect on the insurance."

Beca began reading again. Before she knew she was jerking awake when someone knocked on the door. From the sound of it, they may have already knocked once.

"I can't believe I fell asleep," Beca grumbled as she got up to answer the door.

"Miss Mitchell?" the portly man at the door said when the door opened.

"Yes," Beca said.

"I'm George Baxter," the man said. "With Barden Insurance. I'm here about a claim that you filed."

"Actually," Beca said. "My mother-"

Beca stopped mid-sentence after noticing a man across the street, staring at the house. She squinted her eyes because he was standing with the sun behind him.

"Miss Mitchell?" Mr. Baxter said, causing Beca to jerk her head back to face him.

"Um, yeah, sorry," Beca said, trying to look over Mr. Baxter's shoulder to see the man across the street. "Where'd he go?"

"Where'd who go?" Mr. Baxter asked, looking over his shoulder.

Beca shook her head. "It's nothing. Probably just a neighbor. What was I saying?"

"You said you weren't the one who filed the claim," Mr. Baxter said, looking at some papers in his hand. "Who is Sarah Mitchell?"

"That's my mother," Beca said. "I'm Beca, and it's my car that got damaged. Follow me, and I'll show you."

"Thank you," Mr. Baxter said, stepping inside.

"This way," Beca said, walking toward the kitchen.

Mr. Baxter followed as Beca went into the kitchen and over to the garage door. She opened the door and turned on the garage light. Mr. Baxted saw the car and whistled.

"Looks like they did a real number on it," Mr. Baxter. "I'm going to have to have it towed to a repair facility and have them look at it. My best guess is they'll consider the repairs to be more than the car is worth."

"What does that mean?" Beca asked.

"It means they won't fix it if it will cost too much," Mr. Baxter replied. "Instead, you'll get a check for the value of your car based on what the Kelly Blue Book says it's worth. Most people use the money to purchase another car."

"When will it be towed?"

"Right now. Can you open the garage door for me, please?"

Beca hit the button, and the garage door began rising. When the door was completely open, she saw a man in overalls standing on the other side; a tow truck was in the driveway behind him.

"Hey, Pete," Mr. Baxter called out, walking over to the man. "We're taking the car."

"On it," Pete said and went to his tow truck and moved it so that he could hook up the car.

While Pete did what he needed to do, Mr. Baxter wrote on one of the papers he had with him.

"Could you sign these, please?" Mr. Baxter asked Beca, holding the pen out to her.

Beca took the pen in her left hand. "What am I signing?"

"It's the receipt for your car," Mr. Baxter said. "It states that we took possession of the car, and you are signing to confirm that you were aware that we took it. There are two copies you need to sign. One will go with me, the other stays with you."

"Oh, okay," Beca said, signing the two copies where Mr. Baxter indicated.

"Thank you," he said, taking his copy and his pen from Beca.

"Is that it?" Beca asked, looking out at the tow truck pulling her car from the garage. Beca suddenly perked up when she saw someone standing across the street again.

Beca tried to see who it was, but the tow truck moved, blocking Beca from seeing them. The truck got Beca's car out of the garage and was now on the street.

Beca went out and looked across the street, but the person was gone. She then looked up and down the street but didn't see anyone. Shaking her head again, she said goodbye to Mr. Baxter and made her way back inside.

"I should call my mom," Beca thought. "Nah, maybe later."

Beca went to the kitchen and gathered a few things to start prepping for dinner.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

A couple of hours later, a car went flying past a Barden police car, careening all over the road. The officers flipped on their lights and siren and chased after the car.

They got about a block when the car ran a red light and careened into the Emergency entrance of Barden Hospital. The police car turned in just in time to see the car hit a corner of the building. A few people came running out of the hospital.

The two officers jumped out of their car and started ordering people to back away from the car. They drew their guns and slowly approached the vehicle. They saw some movement, and one officer yelled, "You in the car! Show us your hands! Now!"

Nothing happened, and suddenly the car horn started blaring. Both officers rushed to the car and looked inside.

The first officer opened the driver's side door and gently lifted the woman's head from the steering wheel, causing the horn to stop blaring. The woman moaned, and the officer yelled, "She's alive!"

A doctor and nurses ran over to the driver's door. The doctor reached and place her hands on the woman's head.

"I got this," she told the officer.

The officer nodded and moved away so the doctor could position herself in the opening.

"I need a collar," the doctor called out.

A nurse opened the packaging and moved to stand behind the doctor.

"There's another body in the backseat," the second officer said, opening the back door.

Another doctor put his stethoscope to his ears and pushed the officer aside. He placed the stethoscope on the man's chest and listened.

"Heartbeat is faint," the doctor said. "But, he's alive. Let's get him out of there."

The officer looked down at the man's face and then over at his partner. He stood close by as the doctor, and two others worked to get the man out of the car.

On the other side of the car, several people were working on the female driver.

"I'll hold her head, and you put the collar on her," the doctor told the nurse. The collar was in place, and the doctor looked over to the gathering crowd. "We need a gurney over here!"

Two orderlies ran over to the car with a gurney.

"Okay," the doctor said. "I'm going to check her real quick to see what injuries she may have before we move her."

"Put him on the gurney," the doctor told the two men who were helping with the man in the back of the car. "Take him to Trauma Room One."

The second officer stopped the gurney and handcuffed the man's wrist to the gurney's railing. The doctor looked at him.

"He's a wanted fugitive," the officer told the doctor. "I'll remove them if you need me to, but they will remain on him until you're told otherwise. Understand?"

"Got it," the doctor said, placing his hand on the gurney. "Let's go."

Everyone stood silently by as the doctor checked the driver. She pulled aside the woman's shirt and looked back at the police officer. "She's been stabbed. We need to get her inside so that I can assess her injuries better. Get that gurney over here!"

After the doctor and nurse got the woman out of the car, they gently laid her on the gurney.

"Let's go," the doctor said, and they all rushed inside with their patient.

Once the car was cleared, one of the officers looked to see if there was an ID for the woman. Looking in the glove compartment, he found the car's registration

"Sarah Mitchell," the officer read from the registration. "What on earth happened to you, Mrs. Mitchell?"

The officer went into the ER doors to find his partner. He saw him standing guard outside the trauma room, watching them work on the man from the car.

"Why's he handcuffed?" he asked his partner.

"That's Roger Daniels," his partner said.

The first officer looked closer and nodded his head. "According to the car's registration, the woman is Sarah Mitchell."

"No, it's not," his partner said. "I know Sarah Mitchell, and that woman is too small to be her. It might be her daughter, Beca."

"What the hell happened with them?"

"I don't know, but I'm calling the sergeant," the second cop said. "He was lead on the case with this Daniels guy."

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

Joe ended the call and wiped his hands down his face. He pulled up a number and hit call. It went straight to voicemail. He went to his office door and looked around the bullpen. He caught Mark's eye and waved him over.

"What's up?" Mark said as he entered Joe's office.

"I need you to go check the Mitchell house," Joe said and then explained about the man and woman that arrived at the hospital with injuries and nothing and no one to tell them what happened.

Mark's eyes widened in shock when Joe said, "Roger Daniels is the man. The car he was in is registered to Sarah Mitchell, but she's not the woman who was in the car. I have a feeling it's Beca. Go see if you can find her or anything that might tell us what happened."

"You got it, Sarge," Mark said and ran out of Joe's office.

Joe sighed and sat behind his desk, dreading the two calls he knew was probably going to have to make.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

Thirty minutes later, Mark called Joe.

"We searched the house, and there's no sign of Beca," Mark said. "We did find blood in the kitchen, leading out to the garage." Mark sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Joe, there is a lot of blood. We are trying to figure out where it started to see if we can piece together what happened, but I don't think we'll know anything until Beca or Daniels can tell us."

"Okay," Joe said. "Thanks. I'm going to call Beca's mother so she can come home."

They ended the call. Joe sat with his phone pressed against his forehead. He sighed and placed his first call.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

Trish and Lou were escorting Aubrey and Chloe back to Beca's house when Trish's phone rang.

"Hel-"

"Donahue, you need to take Miss Beale and Miss Posen to the hospital immediately," Joe exclaimed through the phone.

"Hosp-?"

"Beca Mitchell's been hurt," Joe interrupted. "Don't tell the girls anything, just get them there. We don't yet know what happened, but it sounds bad, really bad. I'll meet you there as soon as I notify Beca's mother."

Trish swallowed and said, "Yes, sir!"

Trish ended the call and looked at Lou.

"What?" Lou asked.

Trish looked at Chloe, who was chatting with Aubrey and not paying any attention to the two officers.

"We need to get to the hospital," Trish leaned over and whispered.

Seeing the look on Trish's face, Lou turned toward the hospital without asking questions.

Aubrey suddenly looked around, asking, "Why are we turning here? This isn't the way to Beca's house."

Chloe looked up and around as well. "She's right. What's happening?"

"That was Sargeant Nichols on the phone," Trish said, turning to look at the girls. "He instructed us to take you to the hospital. He didn't offer any other explanation."

"Oh, my god!" Chloe said and immediately pulled out her phone to call Beca.

The call went straight to voicemail. Chloe ended the call as tears ran down her face.

"Beca's not answering her phone," Chloe said through her tears. "Something's happened to Beca, hasn't it?"

Trish looked at Lou and then back at Chloe. She nodded without saying anything.

Tears came to Aubrey's eyes as she put her arm around Chloe's shoulders.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

"I'll be on the first plane I can get on," Sarah said, ending the call with Joe.

Charlotte noticed Sarah's shaking hands and asked, "What's going on, Sarah?"

"Something's happened to Beca," Sarah said as tears fell down her cheeks. "I have to go home."

"We'll go with you," Carl said. "I have a friend at American Airlines. I'll call and see if he can get us on a flight out as soon as possible."

Sarah nodded, mumbling, "Thank you."

Carl made the call while Sarah and Charlotte packed. The two women were sitting in the living room with their suitcases when Carl came in.

"The three of us are booked on a flight that leaves at three," Carl told them. "We have to leave now to make it."

"We're ready," Charlotte said.

The three drove to the airport and were met by Carl's friend, Darren.

"Come with me," Darren said. "I have them prepared to hold the flight until we get you three on board."

They followed Darren, bypassing security and arriving at the gate in time to board.

"Please keep me posted on how things go," Darren said as Carl thanked him.

Carl rushed over to join Charlotte and Sarah; the three boarded the plane and found their seats.

Charlotte sat next to Sarah, holding her hand, offering what little comfort she could.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

Lou pulled into the Emergency entrance and parked. Chloe jumped out and stopped when she saw Beca's car still sitting where it had crashed. She started to hyperventilate until Aubrey came up beside her and pulled her into a hug.

"Let's go inside," Aubrey whispered.

Chloe nodded and moved toward the entrance. Aubrey kept her arms around Chloe as they entered the Emergency area, with Trish and Lou right behind them.

Trish went to the desk with Chloe and Aubrey while Lou made his way over to the two officers who standing near the trauma room where Roger Daniels was still being worked on.

"Keith," Lou said as he walked over to him.

"Lou," Keith said in acknowledgment.

"What do you know about Beca Mitchell's condition?"

"She was taken into surgery about thirty minutes ago," Keith said. "I don't know what her injuries are, but I gotta tell you, it looked bad."

"What about this asshole?" Lou asked, looking through the window at Daniels. "Is he going to make it?"

"I don't know," Keith said. "They're trying to stabilize him to take him to surgery."

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

"May I help you?" the nurse asked.

"We're here for Beca Mitchell," Trish told the nurse. "Do you know her condition?"

"All I can tell you is that she's in surgery," the nurse told the officer. "Someone will be out to give you an update when they can."

"Thank you," Trish said. "Is there somewhere a little more private where we can wait?"

Seeing the shape Chloe and Aubrey were in, the nurse called out for another nurse.

"Alice, would you watch the desk while I show these ladies to the family waiting room?"

"Sure," Alice said and switched places with the nurse.

"Follow me, ladies," the nurse said.

Chloe continued to cling to Aubrey as they followed the nurse into a room just off the Emergency room.

"I'll let them know where you are when there is an update on Ms. Mitchell's condition," the nurse said before leaving the room.

Aubrey and Chloe took a seat; Trish stood near the door.

"Someone should call Sarah," Chloe suddenly blurted out.

"Joe was going to do that," Trish said. "He should be here any minute as well."

Just then, the door opened, and Joe and Lou walked in.

"Any word on Beca yet?" Joe asked.

Trish shook her head. Joe sighed and looked at Chloe and Aubrey.

"Sarah is on her way," Joe said. "I have Mark picking her up at the airport."

"Thank you," Aubrey said.

There was a knock just before the door opened, and a doctor stepped in.

Chloe jumped up, "Is Beca okay?"

"I'm sorry, miss," the doctor said. "I don't have an update on Ms. Mitchell yet. Officers, may I speak to you outside."

Joe and Lou stepped outside with the doctor. Joe came back a minute later.

"What was that about?" Trish asked.

"Roger Daniels just died," Joe said.

"Good," Chloe said.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

Sarah, Charlotte, and Carl exited the plane to find an officer holding a card with Sarah's name.

"I'm Sarah Mitchell," Sarah said. "And these are Chloe's parents, Carl and Charlotte Beale."

"I'm Officer Mark Franklin," Mark said. "Joe Nichols asked me to take you straight to the hospital."

"Have you heard anything about Beca's condition," Charlotte asked.

"Nothing yet, ma'am," Mark responded.

Mark pulled into the ER's emergency vehicle parking area, and Joe came hurrying over to meet them.

"Sarah," Joe said. "Mr. and Mrs. Beale."

"Any word on Beca?" Sarah asked.

"She's out of surgery and stable," Joe said. "I'll take you to her."

Mark joined them as Sarah, and the Beales followed Joe into the hospital. He led them to the ICU, stopping just as they entered through the main door.

"It's family only from here," Joe told the Beales. "We made arrangements for Chloe to be in there with Beca for now."

"We'll wait here," Charlotte said. "Would you let Chloe know we're here?"

"Of course," Sarah said and followed Joe to Beca's room.

Charlotte saw Aubrey sitting in the waiting room and went over to her.

"Aubrey," Charlotte said, causing the young woman to look up.

Seeing Charlotte standing before her, Aubrey jumped up and hugged her.

"How's Chloe doing?" Charlotte asked.

"Not so good," Aubrey said, wiping her tears. "She thinks it's all her fault that Beca is in here."

Joe and Sarah entered Beca's room to find Chloe sitting next to the bed as a nurse checked on Beca. Chloe jumped up as soon as she saw Sarah walk in.

"Sarah," Chloe cried as she ran into her arms.

Sarah hugged Chloe to her as they both cried.

"I'll get her doctor," the nurse said and left the room.

Chloe pulled back and looked at Sarah. "I'm so sorry, Sarah. This is all my fault. I'm so so sorry."

Sarah looked Chloe in the eye.

"Stop it!" Sarah said. "This is not your fault."

"Mrs. Mitchell?" a doctor said from behind Sarah.

"Yes," Sarah said, turning to the doctor.

"I'm Dr. Anderson," the doctor said.

"How is she, doctor?" Sarah asked as they walked over to Beca's bed.

Chloe joined them and took Sarah's hand; Sarah squeezed Chloe's hand and gave her a small smile.

"She's stable," Dr. Anderson said. "I'm not going to lie, it was touch and for a while in the operating room. But, she made it through, and we expect her to make a full recovery."

"Thank god," Sarah whispered. "When will she wake up?"

"We currently have her in a medically-induced coma," Dr. Anderson said. "This will give her body some time to start healing. We plan to bring her out of it in a couple of days."

"So, um, what were her injuries?" Sarah asked.

"She was stabbed twice," Dr. Anderson said. "And had bruises and smaller cuts on her body and face. One stab wound was in her lower back, near the kidneys. There was a small nick, but we were able to repair it. The other stab wound was in her leg. No major arteries were hit, so we were able to stitch it. She'll have a scar but shouldn't have any residual complications from it. And she has a broken left ankle."

"What the hell happened?" Sarah asked. "And how did she drive to the hospital in that condition?"

"I can't answer to what happened," Dr. Anderson said. "And I can only guess that she was acting on adrenaline to drive to the hospital."

"Thank you, doctor," Sarah said.

"If you have any further questions, just have a nurse page me," Dr. Anderson said. "I'll be back later to check on her."

"Thanks again, doctor," Sarah said.

Dr. Anderson left, and Sarah looked at Chloe.

"How are you holding up?"

Tears sprang to Chloe's eyes. "I know the doctor said she was going to be okay, but I just want her to wake up."

"I feel the same way," Sarah said.

"I don't know if anyone told you, but Roger Daniels is dead," Chloe said. "Is it wrong that I'm happy he is?"

"No, it's not wrong," Sarah said. "At least not to me, because I feel the same way about that."

Chloe and Sarah didn't say anything else. They just stood there looking down at the young woman they both loved so dearly.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Sarah said. "Your parents are here."

"They are?" Chloe asked.

"Yep," Sarah said. "They're in the waiting room. Why don't you go out and see them? I'm sure your mom would like to know you're okay."

"Thank you," Chloe said and hurried out of the room.

Chloe didn't stop moving until she was in her mother's arms. Carl hugged the two of them and held them both while they cried. He saw Aubrey wiping tears from her eyes and held out his arm toward her.

Aubrey jumped up, taking him up on the invitation to join the hug.

A/N: I know, I know. I'm late again posting, but on the plus side, it's the longest chapter so far.

[suituuup]

day thirteen - mountains

*

This is definitely not what Chloe had in mind when she had decided to take a trip to the mountains.

“Here they come,” the kind man told her as she knelt by her side, waving his arm to draw the ski patroller’s attention. “Over here!”

The woman in a red jacket bearing a white cross skidded to a stop. “Hey. I’m Beca. What’s your name?” She asked Chloe as she unfastened her skis in one swift motion.

“Chloe,” Chloe replied. She glanced at the stranger who had stopped to wait with her. “Thanks a lot.”

“Sure thing. Good luck,” he said with a smile before continuing his way down.

Beca knelt in the snow on Chloe’s other side. “Where does it hurt?”

“My right knee. I’ve torn my ACL before and it’s the same kind of pain.”

“Ouch,” Beca said with a wince. “How ‘bout your head? Did you lose consciousness?”

“No. I feel okay otherwise.”

“Alright.” Beca grabbed the walkie talkie strapped to her jacket. “752 to main.”

“This is main. Stacie here. What’s up?”

“I’m gonna need a T-bog. Got a woman with a knee injury.”

“Copy that, I’ll be right down.”

“Just hang on a few minutes,” Beca told Chloe. “We’ll get you down nice and easy.”

“Thanks,” Chloe said, mustering a smile. “This isn’t how I pictured my holiday.”

Beca gave her a sympathetic smile. “I can imagine. Where you from?”

“Oregon, but I live in NYC.” A shiver ran through her body, and she watched as Beca took off her jacket. “You’ll be cold.”

“Don’t worry about me,” she assured Chloe as she laid the warm jacket over her torso.

Another ski patroller reached them a few seconds later. “Hi. I’m Stacie. You hanging in there?”

Chloe nodded. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

“I’m gonna wrap your leg in a splint, alright?” Beca told her. “I’ll try my best not to make it too painful.”

Chloe took a deep breath, biting down on her bottom lip as Beca strapped the splint around her injured leg, moaning slightly in pain.

“All done. Worst part’s over,” she let Chloe know with a reassuring smile. “We just need to transfer you onto the backboard and then onto the sled, alright?”

Chloe nodded once more. “Yeah, okay.” They rolled her onto her side gently, then slid the board under her before rolling her back and lifting the board into the toboggan sled. Beca took her jacket back and wrapped Chloe up with the insulated tarp. “This is pretty comfy,” she admitted with a soft laugh.

Beca smirked. “You’re getting a VIP escort down to the station.”

“Lucky me,” Chloe joked, smiling.

“When you two are done flirting, can we get this show on the road?” Stacie asked, her teasing evident in her tone.

“Shut up, Conrad,” Beca muttered as she did a last check, then shouldered her backpack. Chloe saw her upper cheeks reddening and bit back an amused smile. “Alright, Stacie will be out front, I’ll stick by your side. Sound good?”

The patrollers snapped their skis back on, and they soon slowly started making their way down the hill, reaching the bottom about five minutes later. They unloaded Chloe from the toboggan and transferred her to a bed in the rescue center, where she was given a warm drink and a snack while she waited for the ambulance to pick her up and take her to the hospital.

“We’re all done here,” Beca told her as she stepped back inside after gathering all their gears.

Chloe had a much better angle now, and she couldn’t help but note how attractive the other woman looked. “Thanks a lot for your help,” she said softly.

Beca shrugged. “Just doin’ my job.”

“Can I um, buy you a coffee sometime in the next couple of days?”

A pause. “As in, going out?”

Chloe was the one to shrug this time. “If you’re comfortable with that.”

Beca cleared her throat, that blush coming back full force. “Um yeah. Yeah, sure.” She reached inside her coat pocket for her phone. “Just um, put your number in here, I’ll text you.”

“Mitchell! Quit flirting, I’m hungry!”

Beca rolled her eyes, puffing out a breath. “Sorry about her. She’s a pain in my butt.”

Chloe giggled as she handed the device back to its owner. “Here you go.”

“Cool.” Beca cast her a smile. “See you around, Chloe.”

“See ya.”

Maybe her holiday wasn’t completely ruined after all.

[freedomseeker91]

The Ultimate Betrayal….

Chapter 3

Title: Ready or Not

Summary: Chloe arrives at the hospital in Georgia, but struggles to digest and cope with what Beca has been through in two years

Rating: T for Angst/Comfort

Warnings: Minor mentions, allusions to torture

I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole with this Drabble, that’s now a Multi Drabble. Anyways hope you enjoy.

Chloe braced her hands against the railing outside, knuckles turning white as she gripped it to steady herself. The wave of nausea that had settled in the pit of her stomach began working it’s way up through the worry and anxiety that was currently constricting around her windpipe.

All of a sudden she found herself leaning over the rail and heaving up everything that had been eating her up since she landed in Georgia. As she continued to heave and retch, a comforting hand came to rest on her back, rubbing soothing circles. Aubrey.

The blonde had been right by Chloe’s side when the redhead had made a dash for the exit, unable to breathe within the confines of the walls of the military hospital they had finally found themselves in after a restless flight, and a night spent in an apartment arranged by Aubrey for the duration of their stay.

This wasn’t how Chloe had anticipated her morning going, but then, nothing could have prepared her for the news she had received from the doctor who had taken on Beca’s case.

Beca. Her beautiful, intelligent, courageous fiancée. Hearing what she had been through, what she was still going through had been the straw that broke the camels back and whittled away at the last of Chloe’s resolve.

She knew when she arrived that whatever she found waiting for her would be difficult to confront. But thinking it and actually hearing it, were two altogether different experiences, an experience Chloe couldn’t possibly have prepared herself for.

When they had arrived at the hospital, escorted by General Posen himself, they had been formally greeted by Doctor Matthews and taken to a family room instead of a stuffy office, a clear indication that they were looking to spare as much pain as possible.

It was within those four walls that the true horrors of what Beca had faced had been brought to light, and Chloe’s world bottomed out. To prepare her for what she would find within the hospital room, the doctor had gone into great detail about Beca’s condition.

The solider, having been starved and deprived of proper nutrition over a span of 2 years, was currently being fed through a peg, the only way they could ensure her body was receiving proper nutrients in a manner she was capable of as she physically could not consume solid food.

Antibiotics were continuously being pumped into her system to combat infection from wounds that had not healed or that were healing poorly. It was then Chloe learned of the brutal whippings Beca had routinely been subjected to as a form of punishment.

Though Chloe hadn’t seen the physical damage for herself, the image painted for her by the doctor had been enough to sear into her brain for life. Many scars now littered the once porcelain skin of Beca’s back, permanently etched to her being to remind her of what she had been through.

The lashing were so severe, they couldn’t rest her on her back due to more recent open wounds being drained of infection, and older scar tissue still too sore and sensitive to the touch.

Many of Beca’s organs such as her kidneys, which had been on the verge of shutting down, were currently being monitored hourly in the hopes of reviving them to a state of better health.

There were numerous superficial burn marks and scaring on various parts of Beca’s body, signs that other tools had been used to inflict suffering and torment.

But the most difficult, most gruesome detail to bear, the one that horrified them the most, was knowing that Beca had lived through having both of her legs gouged and pierced with a flaming hot poker in what had been planned to be a final line of torture prior to execution, a mere day before she had been rescued.

With the delay in medical intervention, and Beca already battling infection, the presence of sepsis had become a medical emergency, and with no other option, both of her legs had been amputated above the knee to save her life.

Standing outside the hospital catching her breath, Chloe could feel the weight of what was to come settling itself upon her shoulders and she almost buckled. But she couldn’t, not now, not when Beca was back within reach. She needed to be strong, she needed to push everything else to the back of her mind and move forward.

Because no matter how difficult or hard Chloe found it, it would never come close to comparing to what Beca was going through.

The soldier had two years of her life ripped away from her. Two years of the people she loved most thinking she was dead. Two years at the merciless hands of savages who would rather watch her suffer than put her out of her misery. Two years of knowing she had been betrayed by her closest comrade.

All because of Chloe.

“This is all my fault,” Chloe sobbed, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand.

Aubrey frowned, dazed by her best friends statement because it made no logical sense to her whatsoever.

“Chlo, how could this possibly be your fault?” Aubrey asked, the exasperation in her tone evident to anyone who heard her. Chloe heaved out a heavy, stuttered breath wiping at the tear drops rolling down her cheeks.

“If I had just focused on the tour instead of getting caught up in my own feelings then Beca’s life would’ve carried on as normal. Instead she’s h-here,” Chloe cried and Aubrey shook her head fiercely, tugging roughly on Chloe’s arm so that the redhead had no choice but to face her.

“NO! Chloe this is not on you this was all Chicago. He did this. He’s the reason Beca is here, he’s the reason for all of this,” Aubrey said, her tone laced with annoyance, not at Chloe, but at the thought that she was taking responsibility for somebody else’s grotesque and selfish actions.

“Chloe, Beca is the love of your life and you are without a shadow of a doubt hers. You guys were meant to be together, anyone with eyes could see that. Don’t ever let what Chicago did make you think otherwise.”

Chloe turned her head towards the hospital, gazing up at the multi-storey building and gesturing with her hand.

“Yeah but this, she doesn’t deserve this,” Chloe whispered and Aubrey shook her head.

“No she doesn’t. But Beca is a soldier. She risked her life every day to serve a greater purpose and with that comes the consequence of knowing that your life would always be in someone else’s hands. And all of us, every last one of us knows that had those hands been yours and not Chicago’s, she wouldn’t be here right now. She would be home safe with you. Because that’s how much you love her.”

Aubrey was right, Chloe couldn’t change what Chicago had done, hell she couldn’t even guarantee he wouldn’t have lost control at some other point irrespective of her presence in Beca’s life. That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt her knowing she was the common denominator between what Chicago had done and where Beca had ended up.

War always came with risk. Conflict always came with risk. Chloe just never thought for a second that she would’ve been the conflict that led to Chicago’s actions that irreversibly damaged the person she cared about most in this world.

“Her legs Bree,” Chloe gasped, the realisation of just how badly Beca had been mutilated by those savages consuming her.

“I know,” Aubrey replied swallowing thickly around the lump in her throat at the thought as she linked her hand with her best friends and gave it a comforting squeeze, silently letting her know she was there for her.

Beca had always been a fit, active person, everyone that knew her knew that. The fact that her body had been mutilated in such a way as to try and deprive her in any was was unfathomable.

However none of that mattered to Chloe. She didn’t care how Beca’s body might look or how different it might be. The fact that she was alive, that Chloe had a chance, was all that mattered.

But she knew Beca would struggle, and they didn’t yet know the full extent of just how much this had all impacted her mentally. For all the talk of Beca’s physical scars and injuries, the ones that would cut the deepest and hurt the most, would be the ones no one could see.

Yet Chloe knew that no matter what, even if she had to pick Beca up and carry her for the rest of her life, that she would do it. Somehow she would find a way to get her through this. Because to Chloe, nothing she faced in all of this would ever compare to what Beca had endured for two years.

And that was what she needed to remind herself of as she moved forward. No matter how difficult things might get, no matter how much Beca might try push her away, Chloe needed to stay strong and hold on.

She was aware of the fact that the Chicago situation was still hanging over her head, and that at some point, she would have to tell Beca the truth, but for now her priority had to be making sure Beca pulled through her immediate health challenges.

Everything else could wait, for now. Gazing back up at the hospital Chloe wiped away the remaining tear residue and took a deep breath.

Once she stepped foot back in that hospital, she was committing herself fully to whatever lay within the hospital room that Beca now called home and there would be no going back.

Raising her hand, she gazed at the diamond ring sitting upon her finger and drew strength from its presence. Because Chloe wasn’t committing herself to a cause, she was committing herself to the love of her life.

They may not have had the chance to vow in sickness and in health, till death do they part, but she vowed in that moment to live by those sentiments regardless of their legal or romantic status.

With one final breath, Chloe tightened her hold on Aubrey’s hand and together they made their way back inside the hospital to find Dr. Matthews so Chloe could finally reunite with the woman she had mourned for and yearned for since that fateful day two years ago.

They found the doctor stood outside his office speaking with General Posen and as the women approached he turned to face them, hands resting inside the pockets of his white coat as he asked the one question that was hanging in the air.

“Are you ready?” He said, gazing directly at Chloe.

The redhead straightened at his words and pulled back her shoulders, bracing herself as she nodded her head and mentally prepared herself for what was to come.

“I’m ready”….

[selene-kaito]

My Life, My Rules: CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER ONE -- CHAPTER TWO-- CHAPTER THREE-- CHAPTER FOUR-- CHAPTER FIVE

FEBUWHUMP 2022: DAY 23- DON'T LEAVE ME

TW: SA, NFSW

“Don’t leave me Eris. Please don’t leave me.” Aelia’s voice was always in his nightmares.

They started out wonderfully, both of them as children running across Forest House. Happy and content. Then she would be charmed into falling off a cliff and would beg him to never leave her.

“Don’t leave me Eris. Please don’t leave me.”

“Never Aelia.” He would promise. But then there were his father’s guards, always a step behind him. They were grabbing and dragging him back and Aelia stayed there screaming.

“Don’t leave me Eris. Please don’t leave me.”

🔥🔥🔥

The next day Eris and a few of his loyal soldiers escorted Gwyn to the mountains. Emerie accompanied them at Gwyn’s request. Eris didn’t protest, he knew enough of the female’s past that he would never dare to make her uncomfortable.

And not only because her sisters would burn off his favorite part if they did.

Emerie would probably use her knives but Nesta’s fire was the real weapon. Nesta had no problem using her fire to intimidate but she refused to become a warrior.

Eris didn’t push, it was her choice, not his.

Besides her fire was deadlier than all of the High Lord’s powers combined.

“You may be able to snare a single person,” Eris said gracefully lounging against a tree, “But a dozen?” He raised his eyebrows. “It will be much more difficult.

Gwyn nodded with awe on her features, “I didn’t know that you could snare more than one person. All the books are very vague.” Eris nodded in understanding before gesturing his soldiers to stand single file in front of them.

“Nesta had the opposite problem,” He explained to the enthralled redhead, “Her power came in waves, she needed to focus it. You need to try to see yours as a wave or as a wall.”

Gwyn nodded before turning back to the soldiers. She stared at them but only the middle soldier walked forward. Her shoulders slumped in dismay before Eris could chide her on giving up already she straightened them once more and faced the soldiers.

Eris smirked as he bit into an apple. That girl was a fighter.

“Okay, let's take a break,” Eris said to Gwyn. Gwyn glared at him slightly as she wiped the sweat from her eyes. In the two hours they had been there Gwyn had just caught all the soldiers in her net before she lost them.

It was progress.

Gwyn slumped next to him on the ground and grinned slightly when he threw her a red shiny apple.

“Why the sudden desire to learn how to control your magic now?” Eris enquired, after all, she had had years in temples to learn from priestesses.

“The priestesses didn’t like it. They told me to never use it. And it was dangerous. Catrin, my twin sister, didn’t have it but she used to encourage me to play with wisps of sunlight so I wouldn’t get rusty. When the temple was attacked I stopped using it. After Catrin, I just couldn’t. And I knew that Rhysand would see it as a threat so I kept quiet in the library.”

Eris could understand that Rhysand would make Gwyn into his perfect weapon, just as he desired to do with Nesta. Gwyn wouldn’t have liked that and would have undoubtedly fought back. Eris knew very well that Rhysand didn’t like when people fought back.

“The library? Eris asked in confusion. Gwyn spoke of it as if he should have automatically known what she meant.

“It was a place for women who were survivors of abuse or worse… I joined right after the war.” Eris swallowed harshly at that. He knew already but that didn’t mean he liked for the thought to be confirmed. Over the last few weeks, he had grown immensely fond of Gwyn’s friends.

Eris glanced to the side and saw Emerie chatting with one of his soldiers before he said, “My father sold me and my brothers to Amarantha when we were Under the Mountain. Each of us to a different general.” He saw the realization in Gwyn’s eyes as she realized exactly what he was saying.

Maybe Gwyn knew that he didn’t want her to say something because a moment later she said, “You’re really good at this.”

Maybe it was their newfound camaraderie, or maybe he just wanted anyone else to know. “There used to be eight Vanserra’s. Seven brothers and a sister. Aelia.” Her name was an exhale on his lips.

Aelia.

Beautiful and kind Aelia.

Gwyn twisted her body to face his as she gestured for him to continue, “She was nine years younger than me. It was a miracle, two fae pregnancies in a decade. But she was a girl. She was always treated as less than. But I loved her. She was my baby sister. When she got older we found out that she was a lightsinger. I helped her. I trained her. Lightsingers used to be more common then but I never told my father. He would have killed her.”

“Why?” Gwyn asked her face twisted in confusion, “Wouldn’t she be a powerful weapon?”

“Yes,” Eris admitted, “but she was so powerful. It looked like she would have the power of Autumn instead of me. My father killed her.” Gwyn looked at him sadly.

“It’s so hard to live without sisters isn’t it?”

“So so hard,” Eris replied remembering his beloved sister.

🔥🔥🔥

Nesta was nervously loitering outside of Eris’ study when his voice rang out from inside, “Are you just going to wear holes in my carpet, or are you ever going to come inside.”

Nesta scowled at the door before she strode into his study. Eris looked up from his stack of papers and raised an eyebrow at her. “Nervous Nes?” He asked raising one red eyebrow.

Nesta smirked at him making sure that her face was a clean slate before replying, “Just trying to brace myself.” She made a show of scrutinizing the room before glancing back to him, “It is so very disappointing.”

Eris gave her a lazy smile before purring, “Come closer Nes. You should know I never disappoint a woman.” Nesta glared at him when she caught the innuendo but caught herself before she could snap at him.

“Do you know Cresseida, Princess of Adriata?” It was a rhetorical question but Eris nodded nonetheless. Nesta hesitantly slid a folder across the table to him gestured for him to open it.

“We met in the war and have since been corresponding. We have decided to demand the Night Court for reimbursement for the destruction of the Summer Court, the destruction of the Archeron mansion, and the apartment building they tore down. We both went over the paperwork already but I just wanted to run it by you.”

Eris raised his eyebrow when he read the information for a second Nesta was worried that something was wrong but all Eris said was, “Nes this is really good.” He gave her a smirk before he said, “I doubt your sister will understand half of the references or laws you mentioned here.” Nesta laughed slightly at that.

“I don’t want to be like her. I don’t want to claim a title for no reason other than my marriage. I’m going to donate half of the money I’d get to families destroyed by the war. If I’m going to be the Lady of Autumn I intend to do something other than smile and dance.”

Eris gave her such a bright smile and Nesta wished that he would never stop smiling. Because at that moment he looked like the bright sunset and all those princes in her storybooks.

At that moment he looked perfect.

With a shock, Nesta realized that she would have done anything to keep that smile on his face.

Nesta had been so enamored that she almost missed the next words he said. “What?” She asked. Eris gave a confused look before repeating his words.

“I think I might make you HIgh Lady. I agree with you that you need to earn it but this is definitely the first step. In fact, you should probably ask Tamlin to write a petition too. You could all send them at once.”

For a moment Nesta wanted to refuse. She knew what Tamlin did to Feyre, but maybe he deserved a second chance. Nesta gave Eris a brisk nod before walking closer to him. In just moments she was right in front of him. Nesta didn't know what his reaction would be but she did know that if she wanted to live her own life, she had to make choices that no one else could make for her.

“Nes?” Eris enquired, his eyes wide. Nesta moved closer and closer till she had one leg on the chair and swung up the other so that she was straddling him. Nesta watched Eris’ Adam's apple bob. “You have a mate, Nesta.” He said brushing aside the hand she used as she reached for the laces of his shirt.

“A mate I rejected. A mate who prefers Rhysand. If he prefers Rhysand so damn much he might as well bed him. I want this Eris. Do you?” She enquired.

“I want this Nes. I want this so damn much.” He growled before he was unlacing the ties on her dress.

“This will only happen once,” Nesta murmured the lie feeling like sandpaper on her tongue.

“Yes.” Eris agreed. “How prettily we lie Nesta.” He said before showing her exactly what he had learned in his five centuries of existence.

🔥🔥🔥

“I’m going to be bruised for weeks,” Nesta murmured as Eris redid the ties on her dress. Eris chuckled at that as he lightly touched one of the bruises on her neck.

“Bruised? That’s nothing. There are scratches on my neck. Actual scratches.” Nesta smirked at that.

She turned to him and purred, “Someone’s quick of the mark.” Before Eris could remind her how much she had enjoyed that encounter she had left the room.

Eris only lasted a minute before he burst into laughter.

[ridiculously-over-obsessed]

Hey. Because you often whip out the angst, but I still could never resist your stories, I’m going with the opposite (Don’t make it angsty PLEASE! 😂)

Pairing Bechloe (is there any other?!!!!)

No 4. "Let's kiss and see where it takes us."

Thank you 😘

Dklsdhgdlfkg me??? Writing angsty fics??? That NEVER happens 😂 you are so sweet, so for you I will write a short little soft thing (or I'll try anyway kdfhglfgdsf)

4. "Let's kiss and see where it takes us."

Beca couldn't really believe she was here.

Okay, it wasn't the location that in question that Beca was surprised by; she'd lost count of the number of times that she'd been in a bar since turning eighteen (don't judge her, almost every teenager in the States gets a fake ID at eighteen!). No, what Beca couldn't believe was that she was here on a date. A date with Chloe freakin' Beale.

The fact that it had taken four years of college and a year of not only living together but sharing a bed for Beca to find the balls to finally ask Chloe on a date was, arguably, a little pathetic, but they were here. They were actually here, on a date, in what was a definitely an overpriced French bar (Beca was certain they had seen her coming a mile off and were charging her extra) but Beca didn't care.

She tugged nervously at the hem of her skirt. Why was she wearing a dress? Beca knew she would have been more comfortable in a blazer, shirt and pants, but she had been second guessing herself all night. Still, it didn't really matter what she wore Beca tried to reassure herself. Chloe had seen Beca at her most disheveled, in her hole-iest sweat pants and most threadbare t-shirt. So it really shouldn't matter what she wore tonight... right?

"Hey."

Beca was dragged from her thoughts by the soft melodic tone of the woman she had not stopped thinking about since she had burst into her shower naked half a decade ago. A smile spread across her face as she turned from the bar to face Chloe, wondering how it was possible that she got more beautiful every time she saw her.

"Hi." Beca breathed, relieved to see an identical grin on Chloe's face as she leant against the bar beside her, "You came."

"Of course I did." Chloe giggled, Beca feeling her heart skipping a beat at the melodic way the sound filled the air. God why had it taken her so long to ask Chloe to do this?

"I've waited years for this Becs."

"Me too." Beca whispered, chewing at her lip nervously as she always did when her brain was working in overdrive.

"Talk to me." Chloe took Beca's hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. She knew that look anywhere; Beca was overthinking things again.

"I just... I can't believe we're really here y'know?" Beca chuckled, running her free hand through her hair, "I changed outfits like three times and I'm still not happy with my decision, I'm wearing perfume that I borrowed from Stacie because I don't own any and I'm like ninety percent certain I smell like a high class escort, not to mention I had the most traumatizing conversation of my life with her about what people do on dates because it's been so long since I actually went on one-"

"Hey, hey." Chloe cupped Beca's face in her hands as she laughed softly, her eyes twinkling with amusement as Beca blushed, realising she'd been rambling, "Breathe Becs. It's okay. I'm nervous too."

"You are?" Beca sighed in relief, her shoulders sagging slightly as a weight was lifted off them, "Oh thank God..."

"How about this? Let's kiss and see where it takes us." Chloe smirked a little at the way Beca's eyes lit up at the suggestion.

"I can do that." Beca smirked back, closing the gap between their lips without any further hesitation.

Their lips met and suddenly all the worries Beca had melted away. This felt right, like this is what she should have always been doing. She should always have kissing Chloe, who was she kidding? Chloe's hand slid into her hair and pulled them closer, the kiss deepening as both of them forgot completely that they were in a very public place. It didn't matter. Chloe and Beca were finally admitting to how they felt about the other and that was the only thing that mattered at all.

When they finally broke apart for hair, Beca's shit-eating grin could have been seen from space. Chloe chuckled as she tucked a lock of Beca's hair behind her ear.

"So... still overthinking things?"

"Nuh uh." Beca shook her head, fingers intertwining with Chloe's, "There's only one thought in my head now..."

"Oh yeah?" Chloe smirked, "And what's that?"

"Kissing you again."

Hope this is soft enough for you lovely!!! 🥰💖

send me prompts for a drabble thing?

[crashedwave]

February Drabble Challenge - Day 10: Cards

Beca glanced down at her watch and frowned. It had long since died, just like her phone. She chose to ignore the voice of her father in the back of her head, telling her not to rely too much on technology.

Hopelessly she looked around at the walls for a clock or some indication of the time. She knew there wasn’t any, but still, she had to look. Just in case.

They say casinos rob you of not only money but also time. At least one of those statements rang true. Her eyes fell on the poker table across the room. 8 players, spread out evenly around an oblong table. Among the cowboy hats and sunglasses, there was a mop of blazing hair that stood out.

Chloe sat in the middle of the table. Her cards laid flat in front of her, fingers fiddling with a stack of chips while her blue eyes followed the bets around the circle. Her normal carefree face was sat in such a natural and emotionless pose that Beca could have confused her with a statue.

They were separated by a thick velvet rope and wide-shouldered men with earpieces. People with camera rigs circled the table. This was a big deal poker tournament. Broadcast on TV to the masses in a handful of countries. Beca had to laugh at herself that this tournament likely had more views than any of their acapella shows. If she was honest, it wasn’t fair but then again money talks.

She had laughed at Chloe when she told Beca that she had landed an invite to this game.

“Since when do you play poker?” She had asked

“All the time, that’s what I’m doing on my phone most of the time.” Chloe had responded, not one ounce of sarcasm.

“I thought you were scrolling Instagram or something, I don't know, normal.”

Chloe laughed and wrapped Beca in her arms. “Only sometimes, my love.”

And so they went to Vegas together. Everything paid for. If Beca had thought New York never sleeps, Vegas didn’t even know the word sleep. Lights blazing in the dark desert sky. People moving about. The only difference between night and day was the placement of the sun.

Not that Beca would know where the sun was now. They had been inside for hours. Chloe had worked and won her way to the final table. This was the do-or-die moment.

The man next to Chloe was sweating through his shirt, he kept sipping a whiskey with shaky hands. When it was his turn to bet, he shoved his entire pile of chips into the center of the table before downing his drink.

Beca held her breath. Chloe had enough chips she could match him. But she remained cool and collected. She let go of the chips she was fiddling with and instead tossed her cards, face down in front of her.

“I fold.” She deadpanned and Beca exhaled.

By the time the betting was done, there were only 3 players with cards in the game. The sweaty man was the only one without chips. His entire progress in this tournament depended on him winning this round. The cards were revealed and a man’s dreams were crushed before her eyes. The sweaty man whipped off his tie and threw it down at the table before standing, security swooped in and escorted him away.

And the game went on.

It felt like days before it was Chloe and another person. He was about her age, a perfect jawline, well-trimmed beard. His hair was spiked but in a tasteful way. Even Beca would admit he was attractive. She half expected him to use his looks and maybe his charm to distract Chloe. But both players were too entirely focused on the game to do any kind of flirting.

The man tossed in a large stack of chips, they crashed into the green felt with a soft thud. Attention turned back to Chloe. She peaked at her card, leaving them on the table and lifting only the corner. She tossed more chips, taking from two stacks.

After hours of watching cards and chips move around the table - the end happened so fast Beca almost missed it. Card flipped face side up and it was over. The crowd erupted into applause and cheers. The man stood and ran his hands through his hair. And Chloe…

Chloe was searching for her, for Beca. And Beca was moving to the edge of the rope before she realized what her feet were doing.

Chloe met her at the edge of the game floor, her smile so big and bright. Announcers were shouting something, cameras all pointed at them. And Beca didn’t care. Chloe had just won millions of dollars, more money than Beca had ever seen in her life, but the first thing Chloe did was find her.

“We did it Becs,” she said in a voice that was meant only for Beca’s ears before she leaned in and kissed her.

Beca threaded her hands into the forest fire of hair and all the sounds and flashes of lights around them faded into nothing. Even if Chloe lost, they were always winners as long as they had each other.

[massivedrickhead]

Escort ☺️

[ ESCORT ] : sender accompanies the receiver home late at night, in order to ensure they're safe.

From this list of prompts

Read on AO3

With a sigh, Beca extended her hand towards Chloe.

“Come on,” she said, “I’ll walk you home.”

“I don’t need you to walk me home,” Chloe replied, her voice less slurred than she’d been expecting, but enough to let Beca know that she was far from sober.

“I know you don’t,” Beca said, her voice calm and patient. “But I can’t leave you like this. I’m incapable of walking away right now.”

“Who said I even wanted to go home?” Chloe asked, her arms folded against her chest as she swayed ever so slightly on her feet.

“Nobody,” Beca said, holding back another sigh. She ran a hand through her hair. “Come on dude. It’s late, the bars will be closing soon, and they won’t serve you anymore anyway.”

“Fine,” Chloe said, her arms still folded as she walked away from Beca and towards her apartment.

Beca closed her open hand and shoved it into her pocket before she did a small jog to catch up to Chloe.

She was tired after a long day of work and her head was pounding, but she knew she had to keep her bad mood in check.

“How did you know I was here?” Chloe asked after they’d walked in silence for a few minutes.

“The girl you were trying to pick up works for me,” Beca said, hoping any hint of jealousy couldn’t be heard in her voice. “She’s my assistant. She’s seen your picture on my desk a hundred times. So she called me because she got the vibe that you weren’t okay.”

“Oh.”

“She’s straight, by the way,” Beca added.

“I wasn’t… I wasn’t trying to pick her up,” Chloe said. “I was just… it was just flirting.”

“You don’t need to explain yourself,” Beca said.

Chloe reached out and tugged at Beca’s arm, pulling her hand out of her pocket so Chloe could thread their fingers together.

“It wasn’t serious flirting,” Chloe said. “I promise.”

“Okay.”

“You won’t tell Chicago will you?”

“No, of course not,” Beca said,

“Are you mad at me?”

Beca glanced across at her. “Why would I be mad?”

Chloe shrugged. “You seem mad. I would be mad.”

“I’m not mad. I’m… worried. I’m worried about you,” Beca said.

“You don’t need to worry,” Chloe said, her voice turning cold, her hand pulling out of Beca’s grasp so she could fold her arms across her chest again. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t seem fine,” Beca said.

Chloe let out an annoyed huff. “I’m an adult, Beca. I’m allowed to go out and get drunk, in fact I think it’s what most people our age do. It’s normal. Me being a little bit tipsy doesn’t mean I’m not okay.”

“I know that,” Beca said, “but you going out drinking alone for the third night in a row is maybe a sign that you’re not okay. And maybe talking to someone about what’s going on with you would help more than getting drunk every night.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Chloe said.

“Okay,” Beca said. “If you change your mind, the offer still stands.”

They were silent again for a while. The old sounds were the clip-clopping of Chloe’s heels against the pavement, and the occasional car driving past.

“I’m sorry,” Chloe said, finally breaking the silence. “You’re right, I’m not okay, and I’m taking it out on you.”

“That’s okay,” Beca said. “You don’t need to apologise.”

“Yes I do,” Chloe said. “You came out here in the middle of the night to walk me home and I’m acting like a jerk.”

Beca shrugged. “You’re my best friend, and you’re hurting. You’re allowed to act like a jerk sometimes.”

Chloe laughed and shook her head. “Stop being so nice to me.”

“No,” Beca said. “Never.”

After another small silence, Chloe slipped her hand into Beca’s again.

“I don’t want to go home,” she said, her voice much smaller than it had been. “Chicago and I have been fighting again. A lot.” Beca heard her sniff, and she tightened her hand around Chloe’s. “I don’t want to go home.”

“Okay,” Beca said, softly. She turned, checking the road before gently pulling Chloe across it. “You can stay at my place.”

“You don’t have to do this.”

“I know,” Beca said. “I’m not here because I have to be. I’m here because I want to be.”

The silence that fell this time was much more comfortable, and the two girls found themselves approaching Beca’s apartment sooner than they’d anticipated.

“My head hurts” Chloe groaned, leaning against the wall as Beca fished her keys out of her pocket.

“I’m sure it does,” Beca said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

She opened the door and took Chloe’s hand again.

Once they were inside the apartment, Chloe made her way to Beca’s room, and began rummaging through her drawers for the pyjamas she always borrowed when she stayed over.

Beca filled a glass with water and grabbed a couple of Advil to help combat Chloe’s headache and approaching hangover.

“Do you want to call Chicago and let him know you’re staying over?” Beca asked, placing the Advil and water on the nightstand.

Chloe shook her head. “He won’t notice. Or care.”

“I’m sure he’ll notice if you don’t go home tonight,” Beca said.

“He won’t,” Chloe said. She pulled her phone out of her bag and tossed it onto the bed. “But you can text him if you’re worried about it.”

Beca took Chloe’s phone and typed in the passcode. She felt weird about opening her messages with Chicago, but Chloe had just given her permission.

She felt her face get hot and her chest get tight as she saw the last messages Chloe had received from Chicago.

Chicago: fucking come home now please. I’m not done talking about this.

Chicago: don’t make me come to that fucking bar and drag you home.

Chicago: stupid bitch if you don’t answer my calls we’re done.

Chicago: baby I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. Please come home.

Beca looked up from the phone and at Chloe. She was sitting on the edge of the bed now, changed into pyjamas, taking off her jewellery.

“Chlo’… he shouldn’t speak to you like this,” Beca said.

“I know,” Chloe said, sounding tired now. “He was drunk. Angry. He’s not normally like that.”

“Has he ever…” Beca couldn’t voice the question, she was too scared of the answer, but Chloe seemed to know what she was asking.

“No,” she said. “Never. He just gets frustrated. Says things he doesn’t mean.”

Beca nodded and looked down at the phone. She tapped out a message and hit send.

Chloe: Beca here - Chloe’s crashing at my place tonight. Just letting you know in case you were worried about her.

She handed Chloe her phone back.

“Do you love him?” Beca asked after Chloe had crawled into bed beside her and switched off the light.

“I don’t think so,” was Chloe’s answer. “It’s just… it’s easier, isn’t it? Easier to go along with it and deal with the rough patches than start all over again.”

Beca thought about her relationship with Jesse. About how much they had argued and fought until they finally called it quits.

“Yeah,” Beca said. “I guess. You know you don’t have to just suffer through it though, if you’re unhappy.”

“I know,” Chloe said. “I just… I don’t want to be alone.”

“You wouldn’t be alone,” Beca said, reaching her hand out and linking it with Chloe’s. “Not while I’m here.”

She brushed her thumb across Chloe’s knuckles, and felt the redhead squeeze her hand in response.

“I don’t… I don’t know what to do.”

“You don’t have to do anything,” Beca said. “Not yet. You need to get some rest first.”

Beca felt Chloe squeeze her hand again. “I love you, Becs. You know that right?”

“I know,” Beca said. “I love you too.”

[druidx]

Find the Word Tag Game

Tagged by @spacetimewraithwrites! TY

Tagging back: @strosmkai-rum @spacetimewraithwrites @wildswrites @tetrodotoxincs @odysseywritings @ayzrules @morganwriteblr @my-writblr @bexminx @writingingraves @dreamwishing @aalinaaaaaa @wardenoftheabyss @pleaseloathemyveryexistence @jaguarthecat @catharticallysarcastic

Your words are: Sarcasm, Loath, Warden, Dream

This is from The MOW Files Novel again. Totally not using these tag games to slowly edit this novel, honest.

Angle

"Gonna be a bumpy ride," Asuka murmured. "All hail Saint Chris," Gurn said in agreement. "Activating thrusters, lifting off." With that, Asuka felt the familiar lurch in her gut that indicated they'd left the ground. Her breath quickened, and feeling the swell of excitement and anxiety as though this was her first time. Under Gurn's careful guidance, the ship fought gravity, bucking and swaying with the wind. Vibrations ran through Asuka's hands as Gurn added more and more thrust, until they were shooting at an angle through the cloud layer then out into the space beyond, cerulean peeling away to darkness. She let out a gust of breath, leaning back in her chair to better see the blackness with it's salting of planets and stars. Asuka glanced at Gurn, grinning. He shot her a grin back. "We have successfully left atmo'," Gurn said, out of procedural habit. "Leaving gravity well of Callisto. Heading: straight on 'till morning."

Ask

"Well, I know the plan. We will be fine. Aren't we always?" Gurn said. "Sure," Asuka said. She fixed on a smile and rang the doorbell. It was answered by a large muscled man dressed in a well fitting suit. "Can I help you?" came a gravelly voice. "Asuka Rackell," she introduced herself, "and her escort, Gurn Tepper, here to see Dr Grey." The big guy nodded and stepped back. "You're expected. Please, come in." The pair entered and stood in the hallway. "Please wait here. I will go and nform Dr Grey you've arrived." Asuka smiled. "Of course." The butler left, and the pair turned their attention to the hallway walls, covered in paintings of all styles. "You see it?" Asuka asked, and glanced at Gurn. "No" he murmured, eyes still fixed on the walls. "Ah my dear Asuka!" came Dr Grey's voice from behind them. "I am so glad you could make it." "Oh," said Asuka turning. "Dr Grey. We are delighted to be here! I just love all your paintings." She waved a hand at the pictures. "Tell, me are you a collector?" "I am," Dr Grey said. "But I don't focus on one style or whatnot, simply what I find pleasing." "I see," said Asuka. "You simply must show them to me." She smiled and delicately placed her hand on his arm. He gave it a glance. "Of course," Grey said. "When I give you the grand tour. But first, let us eat. You must be hungry." Asuka nodded her agreement. "Famished," she said, smiling as though there was nothing in her head except lightly perfumed air and rainbow kittens.

Air

The pair gathered their coats as headed towards the exit, in the crowd of other patrons. As they stood outside in the chilly night air Gurn considered how they would get home. "Can I call you a cab?" he asked gallantly. "No." Ressa giggled. "But you may try and order me one." She reached for his hand and gave it a small squeeze. "You aren't likely to have much luck though. Cabs tend to stop running around here this late." "Oh. I had better walk you home then," Gurn said. Ressa turned to him, placing a hand on his chest. "That is so sweet of you," she said, "but really not necessary. I can walk myself home just fine." "It is no problem, really," Gurn said with a shy smile. "I want to."

Alive

[Brianna said,] "Oh and I suppose you're all set with a fantastically cunning plan? A plan so cunning, that if it were alive it would be Professor of Cunning at a university and head of MOW's Special Division of Cunning Planning. And I suppose, that armed with this plan that is so tremendously cunning, all you're waiting for is your precious Asuka to get back? Because if you're still here, then she obviously isn't. So you're waiting before you can fly off into the sunset and perform your stupendously cunning plan. Yes?" Gurn wasn't sure what to say to that.

Age

"Points of interest include: Three homes, a modest collection of fine art, a large collection of books on finance and the history thereof, a very fine silver and sapphire necklace, and a collection of handwritten journals dating through his adult life." Dakar placed the paper down, and held up the bag. "These are the keys to what we presume are the properties and items therein. We labelled what we could, but I'm sure you'll figure out what the rest are for. And this-" Dakar took hold of a box and set it in the centre of his desk, frowning in perplexment. "This I have no idea about. All I know is that your Father requested I keep it safe for you. He never told me what was it in and I have never opened it. He never specified when I should give it to you, however this seems like an appropriate time, don't you think?" Dakar took off his glasses and leant back in his chair. "Huh," Asuka said, examining it. The box was the size of a hardback book, rectangular with rounded corners, and made out of a wood she didn't recognise. It was old, covered with the distinct patina of age. There were no markings beside a brass key hole. Asuka glanced up to see Dakar thumbing through sets of keys. "There doesn't seem to be anything to open it with here," he said. "I know," Asuka murmured, as she recalled her eighteenth birthday. Her father had taken her out to dinner, and presented her with a small box. On opening it, Asuka had found a little key on a silver chain. At the time she had been disappointed, but her Father said it was very important. He had been so insistent she wear it, Asuka had not removed it in seven years. Now she undid the necklace clasp. The key slotted perfectly into its lock, the sound of unused tumblers clicking as she turned it. With a glance at Dakar, Asuka lifted the lid.