Chapter 6 – Beliefs

The table was stunned for a couple moments not sure what to do from the sight of an also panicking Beca who was struggling to breathe. Chloe was the fastest to act, pulling Beca close trying to comfort her the best she could, leaving the rest to try and figure out what to do.

"I'm calling an ambulance sweetie just hang on," Mrs. Beale rushed out with a phone against her ear.

Tyler under pressure kept giving ideas that your usual person wouldn't think of doing. "Maybe we could use a straw? You know, to bring her oxygen. I've seen it before in Grey's Anatomy."

Jason smacked him. "CPR would be a better idea," he said quite panicked himself. But imagine how panicked Chloe must've been, Beca still trying to breathe in her arms. None of them had dealt with a situation like this before and clearly were at loss of what to do.

Tyler spoke up again. "Oh god what are we going to tell her parents if she di-" his words were cut off by Jason who told him to shut up and that he was only making it worse.

"Wait shit, this is an allergic reaction," he said out loud. He knew what it was from the beginning, but he was only now just starting to process what it meant. Without any more words he made a quick dash out the door.

The ambulance still wasn't here, worrying everyone even more by each minute. Each second counted.

Soon Jason ran back in and made his way over to Beca, who's nails were starting to dig into Chloe from the pain she was experiencing. He tried to pull Beca close to him but Beca saw the needle in his hand before an overprotective Chloe did and tried to move away from him, having a huge predictable fear of needles. Jason just gripped the resisting Bella's arm and injected her, the needle attached to an epi-pen. Soon Beca's shallow breathing started to become less restricted, Chloe whispering comforting words into her ear as she recovered.

Eventually Beca's breaths started to even out and slow, calming the rest of the family who were still extremely worried and wanted to bring Beca into the hospital but Beca yelled no so fast it made her head spin. They didn't want to scare her any more so they agreed not to but would keep a good watch on her from now on.

"What are you allergic to?" Chloe asked, wondering if Beca even knew or she wouldn't have ate it to begin with.

Beca shrugged shyly which caused Chloe's mom to think about what she had served them all that wasn't exactly an every day thing. After a couple moments she knew. "Pumpkin!" She exclaimed glad to get to the bottom of the allergic reaction.

"I thought we were having pumpkin tomorrow? You know.. for the actual thanksgiving dinner?" Tyler questioned sounding dumb. Mrs. Beale told him she made too much and decided to serve it early, then apologized over and over not knowing Beca was allergic.

"It's okay, I didn't know either," she said with her ironic laugh. But the fact that she felt well enough to be funny showed that she was fine.

With everything handled, hours later it was late, everyone asleep except for the perfect pair. Chloe was trying to get Beca into bed but the brunette was too busy pacing the room mumbling to herself. She was still upset about causing a scene earlier and how she didn't want to mess up tomorrow's dinner.

"Becs it's okay it wasn't your fault. Just shush and come cuddle me," she said with a Beale signature pout on her lips.

Beca was hesitant. "Wouldn't that be weird for everyone? They'd think something was happening, or I don't know," she said about to launch into another one of her nervous rambles. "I can just sleep downstairs. I respect your p-" Beca was cut off when Chloe pulled the brunette into bed and wrapped her arms and legs around her tightly making escape impossible.

Beca sighed knowing she had to give in, having no choice now. Her eyes started to droop, Chloe seeing this and shifting to pull a blanket over them both, her own eyes drifting.

Today was the big day. It was THE dinner. The talkative get to know everyone dinner. The multiple family member dinner. Distant family coming dinner. With turkey, ham, stuffing, greens, the whole package. Beca was ready to shove food into her face until she didn't have any room left for more. Chloe kept insisting that it would be fun but Beca knew something would happen. It was just a feeling she had, so she felt grateful for the food that she would be able to focus on instead.

The whole day was spent making preparations, Beca watching as more and more family members of Chloe's that she didn't know, filtered into the house and helped out. There was music softly playing in the background and multiple scents floating about which made Beca even more anxious to eat. Chloe tried her best to introduce everyone she could but knew Beca wouldn't be able to remember everyone and she didn't expect her to. She had a big family.

Even Chris was invited much to her dismay.

Anti-social Beca found herself sandwiched between her girlfriend and her girlfriend's mom not minding it much because she liked them the most. Chris sat across from them, able to give Beca the stink eye from where he was. It wasn't long before the brothers launched into their sport debates, the table just pretending that they weren't there.

Some began to make toasts before they ate, clinging their glasses lightly to say what they were grateful for. Then it was Chloe's turn. She stood up and called everyone's attention.

"Now I know most of you pretty much know everything about me since I tell you literally everything," she said with an emotional laugh. Beca wanted to reach out and somehow comfort her but she still wasn't sure how they were on the whole 'showing affection' category and if everyone knew so she stayed seated. "But some of you still question why I've never had a boyfriend or brought any guys home."

"You have a bright ass colorful flag in your room Beale," Tyler said with an eyeroll and laugh.

Chloe rolled her eyes a little too in response to his comment. She then held her hand out from her side, Beca seeing it and hesitantly taking it but her butt stayed glued to the chair. Chloe saw this and gave Beca's hand a small tug who still remained frozen.

Tyler then stepped in and picked the brunette up who instantly started to squirm in his arms desperate for escape. "Dude put me down!" she said not wanting any more attention drawn onto herself. But Tyler wasn't done.

"Chloe's girlfriend everybody!" he announced holding Beca up like that one scene from lion king then he finally put her down and watched the clearly embarrassed girl quickly scramble back to her seat.

The audience around the table laughed with amusement and some clapped and cheered or made funny jokes. All except two people. Chris ended up bending his fork out of annoyance and said "Fucking delusional."

"Now is not the appropriate time," said the rescue, ending up being Chloe's biological dad. His eyes cast to his daughter. "Neither is this rubbish. We sit and eat at the table." This earned him a warning glance from his ex wife. This confused Chloe.

"Rubbish?" she asked questioning him hesitantly.

"Yes, it's complete nonsense to bring up your inappropriate phases up at the dinner table. I'm trying to eat and I can't when she's all over you," he said.

Beca felt like she had the wind knocked out of her. She barely even touched Chloe in front of her family. She didn't know this bothered him. She thought every member of the redhead's bloodline was too overwhelmingly sweet.

"Does it bother you, daddy?" Chloe farther questioned, the tone of her voice hinting that she was searching for acceptance.

"What you do in your personal life is none of my business until you rub it in for everyone to look at," by then the rest of the table was trying to but in their complaints about how Chloe was Chloe and to leave her alone, her not bugging or offending anyone.

Mrs. Beale cut in. "This is why I left you. You couldn't accept our daughter for who she was and now you're offending the whole table," she said without thinking, Chloe having not known the reason for her parent's divorce. She was told that it simply just wasn't working anymore. Chloe sat in silence not knowing what to do or say anymore.

Beca was pissed seeing Chloe the way she was. The redhead looked like someone had just kicked her puppy. "Excuse me, Sir," she said slowly standing up. She wasn't going to take shit like that anymore. "I've grown up in an homophobic house, and trust me it sucks ass, so when I was invited to come, I was actually happy to be surrounded by acceptable people," She shrugged off a hand on her shoulder. "It is 2018 dude, get with the program," she was getting more mad by the minute but she didn't mind voicing her mind.

"You're a teenager. Soon you will help change the world but that's when my generation is gone. You don't know anyth-" he was cut off by Beca.

"Everyone in this household except for that twat over there, accepts your daughter except for you. If that doesn't say something, then I don't know what will. I love your daughter. For every god damn flaw she has or thoughts that run through her mind or stupid things she might do. But you're the father. That's your job."

"I think you should leave," Mrs. Beale said showing him the door. She then looked to Chris who refused to leave.

"This is my house,"

"It hasn't been your house the second you left,"

After a couple moments Chloe's bio dad got up and put on his jacket before taking his leave.

While Beca was calming down, Chris moved to finally leave too, not skipping a chance to say something first.

"I'm better for you, and until you see it Chloe, I'll be h-" he was cut off by a firm knock to the jaw, Beca grunting in pain. At first she was scared that she had frightened anyone, especially Chloe. But Chloe seemed back to her normal self and rushed up to tend to Beca's hand who was trying to hide it and insist she was fine while Mrs. Beale got Chris out of the house.

"Look at you being my knight in shining armor," she murmured before suddenly pulling the clumsy girl close and kissing her hard, extremely grateful for her existence; to have her by her side.

The family who attended the drama show from the start, interrupted in applause and cheers once more. Chloe's grandma even removing her glasses to wipe a stray tear at the sight of her granddaughter finally looking happy. As happy as being a Barden Bella made her. And that was a lot of happy.

Best. Thanksgiving. Ever.

Thanks for the support guys! I'm sorry I'm cutting it from here because tomorrow is Christmas and this was a thanksgiving fic XD but I'm happy I got to write this and have ideas and reviews to look over. Merry Christmas Eve!