A/N: It's been like a hundred years since I wrote something for this fic. I didn't go see Pitch Perfect 2 yet, because I'm into Jesse/Beca and I heard it wasn't a lot of that this go round, and so my interest has waned a bit. But I'm going to see this through. We all might be in retirement homes when I post that last chapter but dammit, Imma see this through.

Beca Mitchell was a lot of things. A petite mix of sass, musical genius, disinfected youth, tempered, and possibly failing Physics. No, not possibly… she's definitely failing physics. But what she wasn't…and never would be was a morning person.

The incessant knocking at her door at 8 am warranted a bevy of death threats to the dead sack of skin that was stupid enough to do so. She pulled her cover from over her head and looked over at Amy, who could remain comatose surrounded by cannons. Bec finally gave up and crawled towards the door, her bitch face firmly in place, opening it to reveal the Cynthia Rose, Marty, and Jessica.

"Someone better be dead."

"Are we having practice today?"

Beca shook her head, mostly to get the morning fog out but also because she wasn't sure she heard them right. "Practice? For what? We're suspended."

"So? That's not permanent right?" Marty asked.

Beca shrugged and yawned, "I'm not even sure. The letter from the Dean's office just suspended activities until further notice, or the ICCA investigation ends."

"Who the hell is talking this early?!" Fat Amy was up now. "I swear to god, someone better be dead!"

"Go back to sleep Amy…" Beca soothed.

"So are we still a group?" Cynthia Rose wondered.

Beca leaned against the door, not sure herself. She honestly didn't know what they were anymore.

"Beca?"

She looked at her friends, and she honestly didn't know what to tell them. But they were looking to her as if she had all the answers. She had none, but they needed her. Needed her to be strong. Standing up straighter, she nodded. "Yeah, we're still a group and we'll have practice this evening."

The group turned around, smiling. Marty turned back around. "You should answer the door with pants on next time."

Beca looked down, finally realizing she only had on Jesse's Van Wilder t-shirt and panties. "Thanks."

"Well what did the letter say exactly? Did they say next year or the immediate future, or…?"

Beca looked at the letter from the Dean, the one sent right after the ICCAs, letting the Bellas and other a capella groups know that without the backing of a national or intercollegiate charter, their groups would lose student funding.

That meant no van for travel, no more shitty rehearsal spaces, and the Trebles would have to move out of their house. Not that Beca gave much of a shit save Jesse and Benji.

"You need to take a breath, Aubrey," Beca frowned, running her hand through her hair. "You've been hyperventilating for the last ten minutes. Quit before you pass out."

"She's really getting on my nerves," Fat Amy sighed from her side of the room. "Just click that little 'x' and end our suffering."

Aubrey scowled into the screen. "I heard that! This is serious Amy, Beca."

"I know it's serious," Beca sighed.

She'd been mulling over this since the finals, and with only two weeks left in school, she had no idea what to do. She'd lost sleep over this, practically annoyed the hell out of herself with ways she could fix it. She'd done nothing, not even study for her finals. All she's done is think of the future of the Bellas. Well she had one more thing occupying her mind, slightly more than the Bellas. Her mind switched over to Jesse suddenly. She still hadn't confronted him about the Study Abroad letter. She was trying to give him a chance, and she knew he knew something was wrong but he chalked her distance up to the ICCAs.

"Do you? Do you really? Are you even listening to me right now?"

By now, Beca's head was in her hands, "Do I have a choice?"

"The future of the Bellas is resting on you. That's fucking big."

"God, Aubrey!" Amy stood up and stomped over to the computer. "Do you think you yelping like one of those rabid little dogs is gonna fix this? If anything you are making it worse."

"I'm trying to save us, Amy! There has to be a way to fix this, to stop them from—"

Annoyed, Beca narrowed her eyes and interrupted Aubrey. "Of course I know how serious this is. But what am I supposed to do?"

"Be a fucking leader, Beca!" Aubrey growled out. Before Beca could reach through he computer to rip her face off, she clicked out the Skye box.

"That bleach she uses in her hair is killing her brain cells," Amy replied, sitting tentatively on Beca's bed. She knew her roommate was frustrated."We can hire an assassin to take her out."

Beca snorted from behind her hands that now covered her face. "Won't fix the Bellas though."

"This is certainly a shit show. Don't you have an appointment with the Dean?"

"His calendar is full according to his assistant. But she said she'll be happy to get me in during the Fall semester. She didn't even have candy at her desk…"

"A birdie told me Bumper has a meeting with him. You should go talk to Bumper and the other leaders. See what he's doing and go in as a united front."

Beca looked up and over at Amy. She wasn't even going to ask how she knew what Bumper had or didn't have."That's not a bad idea. it would make sense to go in all together."

"I know its a good idea. It's mine. I have so many good ideas. Like nacho flavored condoms. Nachos are fucking delicious."

Beca looked at her roommate for a long minute in both awe and confusion. "I'm going to go see Bumper."

Amy patted her roommate encouragingly on the leg. "Punch him in the face for me."

Jesse opened the door, his face breaking into a bright smile. "Oh look, it's my girlfriend! Coming to visit another man!"

He kissed her cheek as he opened the door. She called to ask him if Bumper was even there and conversational, the last thing she needed was an emotional Bumper. "Not like I want to. Where is he?"

"Piano room," he said as she walked in. She knew he could feel the distance there still, but he said nothing as she walked passed the great room where the guys were watching General Hospital. She didn't even blink. "Beca?"

She turned to look at him.

"Knock first," he said with an apologetic shrug. "Always knock first when you're here."

"Gross," With a shutter and a nod, she continued down the hall.

She walked up to the piano room door, and knocked hesitantly. She could hear him playing the piano loudly, and nodded to herself he was kind of good at it. She knocked again only to hear him shout.

"What the fuck, Hat?! I said I didn't want to go get my eyebrows waxed! Leave me the fuck alone!"

Beca turned the knob and poked her head in. He looked surprised and then glared at her as she walked in. He continued playing the piano while watching her walk towards him. Suddenly he broke out in a familiar tune that had Beca rolling her eyes.

I see you drivin' around town with a girl I love and I'm like FUCK YOUUUUUU…

Beca crossed her arms at his antics.

I guess the change in my pockets wasn't enough so I'm like FUCK YOU AND FUCK HER TOOOOOOOO.

"Can we have an adult conversation?" she yelled over his singing.

"Nope," he said, banging louder on the keys.

She stood there, smirking.

He let a small crescendo run from his fingers and then frowned. "Why have you darkened my doorstep?"

"I heard a rumor that you have an appointment to see the dean."

"Who told you such lies?" Bumper took an over exaggerated swig of his Gatorade.

"Bumper…"

"Yeah, I might have an appointment with my old buddy Dean Cooper. What's it to you?"

"So you got the letter too. You could lose this house. We all lose. This effects us all."

Bumper blanched at the thought. "I don't care about anyone but the Trebles."

Beca snorted. "That's the problem, you don't care about anyone but yourself. And let's be honest, not even the Trebles matter that much to you. Amy sure didn't."

"You really should keep quiet about things you don't know. Like math, fashion, and my relationship."

"You have no relationship. You threw her out and practically destroyed her self esteem. Do you know how hard that is? Fat Amy's self esteem is epic."

"I never meant to…I…" he started stumbling over his words but Beca waved her hand, not wanting to hear it.

"You ruined that. That's up to you to fix it."

"How?"

"Stop being you for five minutes? Be a better a person? I dunno," Beca shrugged.

"She won't talk to me. She hates me now." For a moment, Bumper looked ashamed of all the hard feelings he caused.

Beca shook her head. She didn't want Amy with Bumper but she knew Fat Amy still loved the douchebag. "That's not true. I don't know why, but she cares about you. You just hurt her. Alot."

"I thought at the ICCAs I showed her how I felt-"

"Why don't you try talking to her? You know, like a man?"

"I tried…but the words…" He looked as if he wanted to say something, but instead, he replaced it with his Bumper persona. "Maybe you could talk to her for me."

Bec laughed increduously. "Uh, no. There's a list of things I would never, and that's at the top."

"Come on-"

"Dude, is it hard for you to admit maybe you need to grovel a little? Humble yourself?"

"I'm Bumper Allen. I don't grovel," he said, puffing out his chest. "Whatever. I'm not pussy whipped like Jesse. Why are you even here?"

Beca was amused at how he let himself be vulnerable for a moment before becoming the asshole she came to know. "I'm here because I can't do this by myself. I'm big enough to admit that. But if we put our heads together, maybe we can save all this. This only works if we all pull together. For the future of Barden a capella."

"That sounds like a Disney movie."

Beca was tired of him being frustrating. This wasn't about her hatred for him, that would always exist, forever and always, he just needed to help her save the Bellas and the Trebles. "Help me save us. If not, this might be the last time you play with this piano, or yourself, in this room."

Bumper rubbed his hand over his face. "Here's the thing, I don't even know if we can. Honestly," he then got up and walked to the end of the piano. "I mean Dean Cooper used to be my boy but without the backing of the ICCAs, we all are pretty much screwed."

"We'll convince him. I'm coming with you to this meeting tomorrow."

"I didn't invite you," he snapped. Beca got in his face, well as close to his face she could that didn't disgust her and her being so short, it was really more like his chin.

"I'm going to the damn meeting with you. Don't fuck this up for everyone, Bumper," she hissed. "Or I swear I'll drop you harder and faster than John Mayer ever did."

"You're a scary little person," he said backing up after a moment. He drank the rest of his Gatorade as Beca glared at him.

Bumper walked to the door and opened it, letting her walk out first. "Fine. Two thirty. Not that it matters. Like I said, we're all screwed."

"What did he say?"

"Meeting with the Dean tomorrow," she said lifting herself on the concrete wall in front of the science building. Jesse walked out of the Treble house with her, and they walked in slightly uncomfortable silence around campus. "Gonna just go in there, and try to tell him how a cappella is life or death."

"You think this is gonna work?"

"I don't see any other way. Other than begging," she sighed.

Jesse nodded, stepping in between her legs. He looked at her with a serious expression. "And…what's going on with us?"

"What do you mean?" she deflected.

"I know this whole a cappella thing has you twisted up, but it's more than that. What else is wrong?"

She hated this. Hated him feeling like everything he did could potentially break put heir relationship. She always prided herself on being a low maintenance kind of girl but she had to admit to herself with her abandonment issues, and generally a hardened attitude towards life- maintenance might be required.

He was looking at her with those big brown loving eyes, pleading with her to be honest and she was kind of pissed at him. How could he implore her to share when he hadn't said shit about his little Italian excursion? She wasn't mad that he had the opportunity, just that he hadn't told her. She could unleash her anger right now, tell him he was wrong for not telling her his plans. That she's not a fragile doll, she would have been happy for him, disappointed, but happy.

But she didn't. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong."

He gave a frustrated laugh. "Bull."

That shocked Beca. "What?"

"A year in and I know your moods. I know when you're happy. When you're sad. When you're hungry. When you hate the music in the quad. I know you. So I know something's bothering you and I want you to stop dicking around and tell me the truth."

Now Beca was mad. "Why don't you stop dicking around and tell me about Italy?"

"Oh…" he stepped back. "Shit."

"Yeah…" she breathed out.

"How did you…?"

"You were reading your acceptance letter. I walked up. Why didn't you tell me?"

He looked down. Beca watched him as he nervously played with his fingers, and braced herself for something awful to happen with them. Maybe this was it, the end.

"Because…" he was quiet and looked away from her. "Maybe I wasn't sure how to tell you. Or if I even want to go."

She didn't understand. She knows how much film meant to Jesse. Why wouldn't he go? "Why not go?"

"Because of this," he waved his hand between them both. "Because I don't want to lose this. Lose you. I don't want to go away for six weeks and come back and we're not us. I don't even know Italian!"

"That's your reason?" she asked, a bit in shock.

"Yeah. I love you, Beca. We've had a kind of weird year, but I know I love you and I want this to work. But six weeks away?"

"But it's only six weeks-"

"A lot can happen in six weeks."

"On my end or your end?" She looked at him and he was looking down again. "Do you think I'm going to drop you simply because you went to Italy? What do you think I am?"

"I don't…I don't know…" He shrugged but didn't meet her eyes. "Sometimes…" he took a deep breath. "Sometimes, I think I love you a little more than you love me."

He didn't look at Beca, just kept staring at the ground. She shook her head slowly. He had no idea. She loved Jesse. Liked loved him. She knew she was a hard nut to crack, that Jesse jumped in this thing with both feet, and she had to dip a toe in and eventually slide into this relationship, but she loved him. She wanted him to know she was proud of him,it felt good to have someone so positive in her corner. That he helped her through that shit with her mom and dad, he stood with her even when she pushed him away.

"We suck at this relationship stuff," she said quietly. "Like hardcore."

"Yeah," he sighed.

"Good thing we're in this together," she nodded, trying to be nonchalant.

He looked up at her and smiled. "No wonder no one wants us. We'll just settle for each other. Being desperate and all. But really…you're like…okay with this?"

"You could have told me. You should tell me things. Because I do love you. Just like you love me. I'm just not as much of a dork about it."

"I'll tell you anything you want. Even things you don't want, just to be sure."

They were both smiling tentatively at each other.

"You're going to Italy," she said quietly.

"I'm going to Italy. You have no idea how good it is to talk about it with you. Until now, it's just been Benji and I love the guy but I could care less about Italian gypsy magic tricks."

Beca reached out for him. "If you don't know Italian, why apply for Italy?"

Jesse stepped closer to her, back in between her legs. "For the pizza."

She nodded as his lips met hers, his hands cupping her face. "Of course."

"I'm sorry, but the decision has been made. Unless the ICCAs change their mind and the investigation turns out to be nothing. There are a lot of student groups vying for money."

Bumper sat back and frowned, looking over to Beca. Apparently, Dean Cooper wasn't his boy after all.

Beca frowned. "But how is that our fault? We didn't cause the fire."

"The investigation is pending," Dean Cooper sighed.

Beca cursed under her breath. "Wait…the ICCAs are international, not national. We participated in the national competition."

She looked over to Bumper who seemed confused at where she was going with this.

"So?"

"There are other competitions. Not just national."

Dean Cooper sighed, he looked down at his hands, and then back up to the two students in front of him. "Look…I know you want to save a cappella, I've enjoyed it for years. Bumper, your rendition of Wagon Wheel at Spring Fling, bought me to tears…"

Bec rolled her eyes as Bumper sat up straighter, smug.

"But honestly, I still can't approve it. For instance, there are four of these groups. Even if I could approve it, I won't approve all of you."

"Wait, what?" Beca shifted uncomfortably.

"Consolidate, and I'll consider it."

"Consolidate? We can't! The Trebles are a Barden institution!" Bumper yelped.

Dean Copper shrugged. "You wanna sing bad enough, you'll figure it out."

A/N

It's about to get real up in here!

Songs featured:

CeeLo Green- Fuck You