She made a mental note to check the tag on the mattress as she laid their unable to open her eyes. Her body felt like it weighed a thousand pounds as it molded into the comfy bed. It was the best night sleep she had since moving to London. She was slowly becoming aware of her surroundings as she laid with the coolness on her bare back and the warmth of the blankets surrounding her from the waist down. She felt a gentle finger tracing the outline of the flower on her shoulder blade. Beca extended her ankles and toes stretching her lower body until a small squeaked slipped from her lips.
"Don't move" Chloe husked in her ear.
Beca obeyed and still her body immediately. The finger on her back disappeared but she felt a pair of soft lips in their place. Chloe placed soft wet kisses on Beca's back and shoulder as she slipped her hand under the comforter and up the back of Beca's left leg dipping between her legs.
A moan escaped Beca's lips and her hips bucked backwards into Chloe's hand. She felt Chloe wrap her ankle around her left foot and pull her legs apart. Beca's eyebrows furrowed and her mouth fell open as Chloe's hand dipped into her folds. Beca's hands, that were under the pillow her head was laying on, squeezed at the silk sheets on the bed. Chloe's paced quickened as she plunged her fingers rhythmically in and out of Beca hitting the right spot every time. Beca felt herself growing closer and closer as Chloe continued. Her body rocked upward at each thrust as the tightness grew and grew as she sought release. Chloe slipped one of her fingers out and replaced it with another as her index finger pressed hard on Beca's clit. Beca's hips desperately jerked up into Chloe's hand as she continued to apply pressure while slipping in and out of Beca. Beca squeezed her eyes shut as her walls squeezed around Chloe's fingers. She felt Chloe's upper body wrap around hers and Chloe's hot tongue in her mouth instantly. Beca breathed into Chloe's mouth as she rode out her orgasm that continued to rip through her body as Chloe's lips continued to assault hers. Her senses were overloaded and she hadn't even opened her eyes yet. As Beca slowly came down from her high she felt Chloe slip her hand out from between her legs and playfully slap her butt cheek.
"Holy shit" Beca breathed her first words of the day.
"Mmm" Chloe hummed as she kissed down the middle of Beca's bare back. "Good morning" Chloe whispered between kisses.
"Yes, it is" Beca smiled. She worked up the energy to roll over and was met with Chloe's lips on hers as soon as the back of her head it the pillow.
"God, I've missed waking up with you like this." Chloe moaned as Beca's hand roamed over her chest palming her breast as she pulled herself on top of the brunette setting her center on Beca's thigh.
"You're so wet" Beca moaned as she felt Chloe against her leg. Chloe placed her hands on either side of Beca's head and extended her arms. Beca watched as Chloe grinded herself on Beca's thigh relentlessly. Chloe bit her bottom lip as she approached her climax. She felt both of Beca's hands on her breasts and Beca's eyes on her. She just needed to get off. A couple more flicks of her hips and Chloe got what she needed. She dropped her head as she worked to catch her breath as aftershocks racked through her body until she finally collapsed onto Beca feeling the brunette's arms snake around her back holding her tightly.
"I can't believe you guys leave tomorrow." Beca whispered as Chloe wiggled down so that her forehead rested in the crook of Beca's neck. "What am I going to do without you guys?"
Chloe placed a kiss on Beca's collarbone. "You're job baby."
XxXxXx
"I swear only Aubrey Posen would drag you to a sunrise Yoga class when she's 8 month's pregnant." Beca said, her sarcastic tone filling the car.
"I can hear you Beca" Aubrey said loudly, "and it's Swanson."
"How's your day shaping up baby?" Chloe asked smiling at her best friend who rolled her eyes.
"It's okay. I miss you and it's only been like two weeks but it feels like 2 years . I feel like I'm never going to see you guys again." Beca mumbled sadly.
"Well," Chloe checked the rear view mirror to see Finley sound to sleep in her car seat. "Do you want me to get Fin and I a flight out there? We can come whenever you want."
"I would love nothing more babe but I'm so busy. I can't take any time off right now and if you came now, all I would want to do is"
"Oh my God stop talking right this minute" Aubrey interrupted Beca quickly.
Chloe and Beca laughed. "Seriously babe, I'm so busy. But I may have some time in a few weeks. Maybe then?" Beca asked.
"Of course honey. Just tell me when and Fin and I are on a plane. Same day, I promise." Chloe replied happily.
"I love you" Beca breathed.
"I love you too."
"Barf" Aubrey teased.
"Beca, they are ready for you" Chloe heard Kelsey call out in the background.
"I gotta go but I'll call you tonight. Usual time." Beca said quickly through the phone.
"Okay. Tell Kelsey I said hello." Chloe requested.
"I will" Beca agreed.
"Okay. Bye honey." Chloe said as she reached for the disconnect button on her car's touchscreen display.
"Bye" Beca said quickly.
After Chloe disconnected the call she turned and smiled at Aubrey.
"Sounds like you two are doing well." Aubrey said with a smile as she ran her hands around her large belly.
"We are. It sucks that she's there and I'm here but we are making it work and she is doing well with her company and doing what she set out to do." Chloe grinned as she drove down Santa Monica towards the beach were Aubrey had signed them up for a morning Yoga class. "How about you? Jesse manage to convince you to take time off work yet?"
"Ugh, I can't." Aubrey rolled her eyes earning a side eye from Chloe. "He works from home most days and while I would love to be on maternity leave currently because I'm as big as a whale and wildly uncomfortable in office attire" Aubrey motioned to her large pregnant belly, "he would drive me absolutely insane. So, I'd rather be at work. Stuffed in a business suit." Aubrey forced a smile.
"So what names have you picked out?" Chloe asked gleefully.
XxXxXx
8 days later, Chloe checked her reflection in the phone before hitting the record button. Once she saw the second tick away she spoke. "Hey babe. I hope that you're day is going well. I wanted to show you something" Chloe said with a wink. She hit the camera button to turn it around to change the view then was walking from what was clearly the hallway of their house into their bedroom. She was walking as quietly as she could so she wouldn't alert Finley that she was coming. Five minutes ago when she was cleaning up the bedroom and after she returned from bringing a load of laundry down the stairs into the laundry room she stumbled upon the scene she was currently trying to capture for Beca.
Finley was becoming more and more able and steady on her feet. She was experimenting with jumping and much to Chloe's dismay climbing, out of her crib, in the middle of the night. Her curiosity was off the charts and if she saw something that peaked her interest, which was everything, nothing would stop her from investigating it. Which is exactly what Chloe stumbled upon and how she was going to tell Beca that her daughter had destroyed all of Chloe's make up in less than 2 minutes.
The video panned into the room to see Finley currently scribbling all over her leg and the floor and anything she wanted with Chloe's collection of YSL Lipstick set that used to have over 30 different shades but only 2 remained upright and in the holder. The best Chloe could tell was that Finley had noticed the runner that laid across the top of her vanity table, hanging over the side and reached up to be able to pull it off, successfully pulling down Chloe's lipstick and make up bag that used to contain all her liquid foundations, concealers, pens and pencils and mascaras. Most of which was either all over Finley's arms and legs or all over the immediate 2 foot area that surrounded her.
"Bug" Chloe's voice called to Finley who was currently trying to color her leg Chloe's favorite shade of rose lipstick stopped and looked over her shoulder at her mother who zoomed the camera setting in. Finley had literally been caught red handed and seemed to understand. She dropped the lipstick quickly from her tiny right hand and broke into a face splitting grin only to reveal that some of the other lipsticks ended up in her mouth. Chloe shook her head and turned the camera back around on herself. "That is your daughter." She teased and then leaned in to kiss the screen before disconnecting it and immediately sending the video over to Beca who should be sound to sleep as it was around 3 am in London.
XxXxXx
The sound of her text alert dinging woke her up out of a sound sleep. Chloe rolled over and picked up her device from the nightstand. She sat up quickly in bed when she saw Beca's name on the screen. She click view message and waited for her phone to open. She read the message and then immediately hit call. Beca answered on the second ring.
"I'm so sorry" Beca said quickly, "I didn't mean to wake you up."
"It's okay babe." Chloe replied as she tried to rub the sleep out of her eye.
"It's so hard that I can't talk to you during the day because its night time in LA. I miss you so much." Beca said sadly.
"I miss you too Becs." Chloe replied as she shimmied back down in bed.
"What are you wearing?" Beca asked teasingly.
Chloe smiled. "Oh, I'm wearing a sexy poly cotton blend night shirt that's about 3 sizes to big" she said in her most alluring bedroom voice.
"Oh yeah?" Beca played along. "Describe it for me baby."
"Well, on the left side, close to my breast, is a stain from where Finley vomited carrot baby food on it." Chloe teased.
"God that's so sexy" Beca moaned playfully. "Are you wearing a bra?"
"No baby."
"Panties?" Beca breathed.
"Oh baby. I'm wearing my most comfortable pair of white granny panties and my red and blue fuzzy socks." Chloe said seductively.
"Oh I love the big white ones." Beca said after a short laugh.
"Beca?" Chloe whispered.
"Hmm?"
"I love you so much."
"Month and a half to go right?" Beca said sadly.
"Month and a half" Chloe affirmed.
XxXxXx
"Hey Chloe" Kelsey said picking up Beca's ringing phone.
"Kelsey, hi. I guess she's busy?" Chloe said trying to hide her disappointment.
"Yeah, she's in with a group right now. She passed me the phone and pointed for me to leave the booth." Kelsey said with a chuckle in her voice.
"It's like 2 in the morning there isn't it?" Chloe asked double checking.
"Yeah. She's been at it for like 20 hours straight." Kelsey confirmed.
"I figured she would be getting ready to go to sleep."
Kelsey could hear the worry in the redhead's voice. "I tried to get her to stop a few hours ago but she said she's so close to finishing it, she doesn't want to stop her progress. I think half of the band is asleep on the floor in there." Kelsey waited for Chloe to laugh but she didn't hear anything on the other line. She pulled the phone away from her ear to make sure the call was still connected. It was. "Try not to worry Chloe, I made sure she ate dinner and she's been drinking plenty of water. I don't really know what else to do." Kelsey admitted.
"If I were there I would have drug her out kicking and screaming." Chloe said remembering seeing Emma coax Quinn out of the studio before.
"I don't think I can do that." Kelsey replied.
"Probably not. Just take care of her, okay?" Chloe asked, the request making her feel small.
"I will. And I'll have her call you as soon as she's done."
"Thank you Kelsey." Chloe frowned and then hung up.
XxXxXx
March 20th2020
"So, are you going to tell me why you have been so depressed these last couple of days?" Kelsey asked as she sat down quickly in the chair across from Beca's.
Beca shook her head as she continued to pull pieces of paper out of the box.
"Is everything okay with Chloe?" Kelsey asked tentatively.
Beca didn't answer.
"Finley?"
Beca's head shot up. Kelsey could see that her eyes were rimmed with red and glossy.
"Oh my God Beca, what's wrong with Fin?" Kelsey panicked.
Beca looked back down at the box and shook her head.
Kelsey sat looking at her boss. The last time she remembered hearing Beca speak was a couple of days ago. She had seemed fine. She was in a meeting with a band listening to a demo. She remembered Beca suddenly leaving the meeting and going home. She didn't come back to the office until this morning and hadn't said anything to anyone. She looked as if she hadn't slept in a couple of days, or showered for that matter. Kelsey sat silently watching Beca pull paper out of the box and read them before setting them in to 3 different piles on her desk.
Beca continued to organize Quinn's thoughts as she pulled them out of the box and laid them out in front of her. She couldn't figure out what exactly was happening to her. She was an emotional mess. 2 days ago, she sat making small talk with a local London based band that she was interested in signing to her Atlantic London label. After the first chorus of their demo, Beca was on her feet and out the door before she even realized what was happening to her. She had avoided Chloe's calls for the last couple of days and Chloe was worried. She could tell by the text messages she got from the redhead. At first they were understanding and asked her to call her back. When the first day went by without responding to her girlfriends request, Chloe started to call her every few hours and the texts increased too. Beca couldn't bring herself to speak. She knew she would lose it and she didn't want to. She just wanted this day to pass by and it almost did until the demo.
The next piece of paper she pulled out of the box that Quinn left behind for Finley was folded in half. It was the one she was looking for. It was the first song Quinn had sold to a tiny record label and she had written for Emma after she saw her at the party back in Boston when Quinn was trying to get Emma back.
Beca sat looking at the paper. For Emma written across the top in Quinn's handwriting and then the lyrics laid out in front of her. She read them slowly letting the words sink in.
'Of all the things I felt but never really shown
Perhaps the worst is that I ever let you go
I should not ever let you go,
It's not over tonight
Just give me one more chance to make it right
I may not make it through the night
I won't go home without you'
XxXxXx
"Stacie Conrad" Stacie said into the speaker phone on her desk.
"Stacie hey it's me" Chloe said quickly.
"Hey Chlo. What's up?" Stacie asked.
"Um, not much." Chloe replied.
"What's wrong?" Stacie asked hearing something off in Chloe's tone. "Is Finley okay?"
"Yeah, she's fine." Chloe answered. "Have you heard from Beca lately?"
"Uhh" Stacie said as she looked over at the speak phone on her desk as if she could see Chloe through it. "I haven't spoken to her but I know she's at work in her office."
"How do you know?" Chloe asked.
"I called over there a couple hours ago and her secretary told me. What's going on Chlo?" Stacie asked quickly.
"Nothing. I just haven't spoken to her in a few days, which is unusual." Chloe sighed through the phone.
"I'm sure she is just working Chlo. The last time I spoke to her was Tuesday and she had a meeting with a new band. She's really busy. I've been hearing that she is doing great things over there and you know how she can get lost in the music sometimes and with the time difference, you know." Stacie said trying to comfort her friend.
Chloe knew Stacie was trying to ease her mind but Beca hadn't let any of those things stop her from calling every night until 3 days ago. "Yeah, you're probably right. I'm sure she'll call." Chloe said softly as she desperately tried to push the bad thoughts out of her mind. "Thanks" Chloe said, "And if you hear from her first, can you tell me and tell her to call me?" Chloe felt silly for asking but she did anyway.
"Of course Chlo. Don't worry. She'll call soon, I'm sure of it." Stacie tried to portray confidence in her tone. "We'll talk soon. And kiss that gorgeous baby for me" Stacie smiled.
"I will, thanks Stacie." Chloe said before hanging up the phone.
Stacie listened to the line go dead before quickly dialing Beca's office.
"Atlantic London" Beca's secretary Gemma said in a happy tone.
"Hey Gemma, its Stacie. I need to speak with Beca. It's important." Stacie said quickly.
"I'm sorry Miss Conrad but Miss Mitchell is not available." Gemma said pleasantly.
"This is an emergency. I need you to interrupt whatever she is doing and get her on the phone please." Stacie said a little more forcefully.
"I would Miss Conrad but Miss Mitchell is not here and she did not say where she was going when she left. Have you tried her on her cell phone?" Gemma replied.
"Yes, it goes to voice mail. When did she leave?" Stacie asked.
"Just after lunch. Kelsey is available. Would you like to speak with her?" Gemma asked.
"Yeah, sure" Stacie replied.
"Okay, please hold Miss. Conrad, I'll transfer you know."
"Kelsey Heller" The blonde said through the phone.
"Kelsey, its Stacie. Where's Beca?" Stacie asked cutting to the chase.
"I don't know. She was acting really weird and when I came back from lunch I poked my head in her office again and told her that Chloe called me again trying to get in touch with her and she just stood up and grabbed her jacket and walked out." Kelsey recounted.
"How long ago was that?" Stacie asked.
"A few hours."
"Did you tell Chloe?" Stacie asked.
"Hell no. I told her this morning that I would have Beca call her but I haven't called Chloe back because I don't want to upset her and well, I don't really know what to say to her." Kelsey sighed. "Sorry Miss. Beale but Beca hasn't said a word to anyone in two days and is acting weird and just split and no one has heard from her since?"
"Yeah, okay. You're right. I'll keep trying her cell but call me as soon as she comes back." Stacie said quickly.
"You got it." Kelsey replied.
XxXxXx
"What are you going to do Chloe?" Jessica asked as she watched Chloe throw clothes haphazardly into a small bag. "Search London till you find her?"
Chloe stopped packing and looked up at her friend. "Yes."
"Chloe. I know it's a hard time for the both of you right now. You know how Beca can be. Just give her some time. Give her some space." Jessica suggested.
"No, this is different." Chloe said as she rushed into the bathroom only to return seconds later with some toiletries that she tucked into her bag.
"Okay" Jessica said as she sat and thought. "Do you have a ticket?"
"No, I'm just gonna buy one when I get there on the first flight out." Chloe said as she zipped up her bag. "Do you want to stay here with Fin or take her to your place because I'll have to pack up her stuff if you're going to take her to your's." Chloe said looking around the room for any last minute things she may need.
"I'll stay here if it's okay. I'll just have Ashley go back home and bring me some clothes." Jessica replied.
"Yeah, of course. Make yourself at home. You know where everything is." Chloe's mind was with Beca and not on what she was saying. "Mi casa and such. What's mine is" she paused, "yours, you know."
Jessica stood up and crossed the room. She wrapped her arms around the redhead.
Chloe didn't realize how much she needed the embrace. She felt the worry creep all the way into her body.
"I'm sure everything is fine honey." Jessica whispered.
Chloe wrapped her arms around her friend and squeezed tightly as she prayed Jessica was right.
"Chlo" Ashley's voice called from downstairs.
"Yeah?" Chloe called back.
"You may want to come down here."
Chloe pulled away from Jessica quickly. "Now what?" Chloe asked thinking of what could possibly be wrong with her daughter. Jessica picked up Chloe's bag and followed her out of the room, down the hallway and down the stairs. Chloe entered the living room looking for Ashley and Finley but didn't see them.
"Hey" Ashley said as she entered the room with Finley in her arms.
Chloe turned quickly to see that most of Finley's milk from her breakfast was spilt down her shirt. "Oh no bug" Chloe said looking at the messy, wet baby.
"It's okay. She just got a little excited and ended up wearing more cheerios than she ate." Ashley said softly. "I'm going to go and change her diaper and get her cleaned up."
"Um okay." Chloe replied.
"You should" Ashley said and tilted her head toward the sliding door that lead to the beach.
Chloe turned in the other direction to look at what Ashley was motioning towards. Her feet moved quickly out of the door and down the steps onto the beach.
"Beca?" Chloe said with a hand over her mouth.
The brunette turned in time to catch the redhead in her arms. "What are you doing here?" Chloe asked through tears.
Chloe felt the sob leave Beca's body before she heard it. She tried to push Beca away to get a look at her but Beca's arms wouldn't let go. "Baby?" Chloe whispered. "What's wrong?"
"I missed you" Beca said barely audible her voice hoarse from all the crying she had been doing and the dry air in the plane cabin.
"I've been so worried about you." Chloe said as Beca clung to her.
"Do you know what today is?" Beca asked softly.
"Yeah baby." Chloe said sadly. "Is that what this is all about?"
"I don't want to be without you anymore." Beca said finally releasing her hold on the redhead.
Chloe got her first look at Beca's face and her eyes were puffy and looked painfully red. "What are you talking about Becs?" Chloe asked.
"I don't want to be without you anymore" Beca repeated. "I thought that if I worked hard and accomplished my goal and built a great business that I would be happy, that I could prove that I can make it on my own but I realized that if I'm on my own, I don't have anyone to share it with. That I don't have you to share it with and without you, it's not really worth having."
"Becs" Chloe whispered.
"They've been gone a year."
"I know" Chloe said as she tucked a strand of Beca's hair behind her ear.
"Q and Em would be so pissed if they were here." Beca tried to laugh through her cry. "I mean, I'm so stupid. What am I doing so far away from here? Away from you?"
"It's okay to be in London Beca. It really is. I understand why you're there. We can make it through this." Chloe said trying to soothe Beca's tears.
"I'm not going back." Beca said resolutely.
Chloe let out a short laugh, "What are you going to do? Quit? You can't do that baby."
"Well, I don't know what to tell you" Beca said as she finally released her hold on Chloe and began wiping the tear tracks on her face. "I'm not going back without you, so."
"What?" Chloe asked
"What?" Beca said not realizing what came out of her mouth.
"You said without me. You'll go back if I come with you?" Chloe asked.
Beca stood as she replayed her words in her head. She rolled her eyes at herself for being so stupid. "Yeah. I can make music from anywhere. Absolutely anywhere in the world. As long as it's where you are."
They stood looking into each other's eyes as Chloe pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.
"Are you considering that? You would just move to London?" Beca asked.
"I'll go anywhere with you Beca." Chloe breathed.
"I'm serious Chlo. You're just gonna move? Leave this house you love so much and all our friends?" Beca asked with more of a serious tone.
"Yeah, you did it." Chloe smiled.
"But I'm an idiot" Beca shrugged.
"But you're my idiot." Chloe smiled. "And I love you and I love this house but it's not really home. My home, our home, is with you Beca."
-FIN-
AN: So, that's all she (me) wrote. Thanks to everyone who reviewed/commented and IM'd me and who read from the very beginning until the resolution. I'd like to think good things happen from here on out and please feel free to let your imaginations take the family where you may. Thanks again! Nothing but love for you guys!