A Bechloe songfic (I guess?) :: 1,800+ words. Includes use of ‘Obviously’ by McFly, which you can listen to here
Set about six weeks after the end of PP3. Author’s note and excuses at the end.
I suppose I should mention this is a bit angsty as well.
"FINALLY! Where have you been? This is an EMERGENCY!" Chloe had barely opened the apartment door before she was greeted with the loud exclamation.
"Amy, calm down, I had to finish an assignment at the library. What's going on?" Despite her friend's elevated excitement levels, Chloe had learnt not to become too concerned until she established what the 'emergency' actually consisted of. Amy's definition of the term was surprisingly broad.
The Australian took a deep breath in an effort to try and calm herself. "Okay... So you know how I do that thing where I monitor everything Beca does on her computer without her knowing?"
"WHAT?!" Chloe's mouth was hanging open in response to this revelation. Amy looked confused, then slightly sheepish.
“Oh... I never told you that?"
"Um, NO." Chloe folded her arms. Ever since they had returned from their European tour, more and more details of Amy's shady past had come to light. At this point, Chloe could well believe that Amy was capable of hacking into Beca's laptop. Or at least, knowing someone who could. She was about to berate her friend for the intrusion of privacy when a horrible thought suddenly occurred to her. "Wait, you can't do that on my laptop... can you?"
"Chloe, we're getting off topic. Now come and look at this."
Chloe reluctantly did as she was instructed and walked over to the kitchen table, but not without regarding Amy suspiciously first. She knew she wouldn't be able to get a decent answer out of her friend while she was so fixated on something else, but resolved to return to the subject later.
And maybe buy a new laptop.
As she turned her attention to the tablet Amy was holding, she saw a window with the title 'Remote Connection' and a single file sitting in a folder. It was simply entitled 'Track 1'. "What's that?"
"I found it on Beca's computer. You need to listen to it."
"Is it a song? Oh my god! Is it her first single?!" Chloe’s face lit up, and any previous concern for Beca’s privacy was swiftly forgotten.
Amy looked away nervously for a moment. "Ummm, I don't think so. I think this is more of a personal type of thing."
"What makes you think that?"
"Maybe you should just listen to it." Amy pressed play on the file before Chloe could ask any more questions and the steady strumming of an acoustic guitar began to fill the room. As the vocals kicked in after a short intro, Chloe recognised who was singing immediately.
Amy was watching Chloe's expression carefully. So far it had been neutral, as the redhead just listened carefully to the song, trying to hear all the different elements to it. But she had a feeling that was about to change.
He drives me round the bend
Just as Amy expected, Chloe's expression morphed into one of faint surprise. These lyrics were starting to sound oddly specific. She opened her mouth to ask Amy a question, but the blonde just held up a finger to indicate she should remain silent and listen.
I find myself thinking about her now
Never will be good enough for her.
Never will be good enough for her.
Chloe looked up at Amy for some sort of confirmation or explanation, but none was forthcoming. She wanted to believe that Beca was singing about her. She did, after all, have a boyfriend who was in the Marines. But she was surprised by the overall sentiment of the song, Beca sounded so utterly defeated.
And that's where I'll stay, for two years
Go to a place where she can't find me
The similarities were too hard to deny now. Chloe's shock was growing with each line, and not least because Beca must have written this herself - it was always something she claimed she couldn't do.
'Cause she'll never be mine
Never will be good enough for her
Chloe couldn’t believe what she was hearing. How could Beca think that she wouldn’t want her? Admittedly, she was sort of dating Chicago now, but had Beca really not noticed all of the signs she had sent over the years? As Chloe continued to reflect on the lyrics, she started to wonder whether the signs had been the problem. She had only ever hinted at her feelings, and never explicitly confirmed anything. Did Beca think Chloe had just been playing some kind of game?
And I never know where I stand
'Cause I'm not good enough for her
The emotion in Beca's voice was evident and Chloe found her eyes welling with tears in response. The idea that Beca would be feeling so inadequate, so despondent because of her was causing her heart to physically ache.
'Cause she'll never be mine
The lyrics cut out abruptly. For a moment, Chloe thought there was something wrong with the track. But as the guitar continued on and Beca's voice returned a a few bars later, it quickly became clear what had happened. The raw edge to the vocals that hadn’t been there previously revealed the singer was now crying, and it was the lump in her throat that had caused her voice to crack.
Chloe's right hand flew up to her mouth to try and prevent a ragged sob of her own from escaping, but she was only able to stifle it. She had all but forgotten that Amy was standing right next to her until she found herself being pulled in to a thoroughly needed hug.
As the song ended, Chloe made no effort to move from her current position. Her mind was flooded with questions, and she quickly found that she didn’t have answers to any of them. "What do I do?" She eventually asked quietly, her voice conveying the sheer helplessness she was feeling at that moment, even if it wasn't already evident from the tears still falling down her face.
Amy sighed and pulled back from the embrace so she could look Chloe in the eye. She gave the redhead's shoulders a squeeze and then very firmly replied "You're going to L.A."
Chloe's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What?"
"Look, it's been fun watching you two over the past few years, the whole will they / won't they thing..." Amy turned away from Chloe and proceeded to walk over to her bed as she continued to explain. " ... but it's just getting ridiculous." The Australian made a slight grunt as she picked up a fully packed suitcase. "We all knew it was only a matter of time once her and the Treble broke up. But then you went and got it on with Captain America instead." Amy walked back over to where Chloe was standing, noting how lost and desperate she looked. "Only now it seems like she's finally realised she likes you. I mean seriously, for someone who mixes music for a living she's got like, the worst timing..."
Chloe's mind was scrambling to keep up with what was happening, but there was far too much to process. She was trying to listen to what Amy was saying but she kept missing bits. And now for some reason, there was a suitcase being shoved into her arms. "What's this for?"
"I told you. You're going to L.A. You two are going to sort this out once and for all. You’re all packed, and there's a car outside ready to take to you the airport. There will be someone there to meet you at the other end and take you to Beca's apartment."
Chloe was beyond confused, and a fresh set of tears formed in her eyes as she tightened her grip on the suitcase she was now holding. On the one hand she wanted nothing more than to drop everything and run to Beca immediately. But at this point Chloe didn’t even know if she would be welcome. The fact that she’d been hearing less and less from her friend had not gone unnoticed, but she’d assumed it was due to Beca’s hectic new lifestyle. She never imagined she was being actively avoided. "I don't-- I can't..."
"Why not? Was it the song? Yeah, I didn't really like it either-"
"No, it's not... I just... do you really think that-"
"Yes." Amy replied without letting Chloe finish the question. She knew what she was going to ask.
"And the song was definitely-"
"And you think I should-"
"YES!!” Amy’s exasperation was coming through loud and clear. “Oh my God, Chloe, if you don't get out of this apartment in the next five seconds I am going to burn your Bellas scarf. 1..." Chloe knew the threat was serious. It was also perhaps one of the most effective ones Amy could have chosen. She quickly wiped her eyes to remove the last of her tears then headed towards the door. "...2..."
"Wait- where am I even going?"
"Don't worry, it's all sorted, just head downstairs, the driver has all the tickets. 3..."
Amy was continuing to count as Chloe grabbed her coat and picked up her keys. As she opened the door, and despite the fact that the Amy was now up to 4, she turned to her friend. "Thanks." Chloe offered sincerely, with a weak smile.
"Don't mention it. Now GO!" Chloe nodded, and finally left the apartment.
Once Amy was alone, she turned back to the table and picked up the tablet. It would be several hours before Chloe landed in L.A. and it looked like the battery on Beca's laptop was getting low. That was good. If it was low now, she would definitely need to charge it before Chloe arrived.
Which meant Amy wouldn’t have to worry about the battery dying while she was listening in later...
As Chloe headed downstairs and out of the apartment building, she briefly contemplated turning around. Was she really going along with this? Was this whole idea insane?
But some other, more powerful part of her mind overruled the objection and she stepped out onto the street, where a black Audi with tinted windows appeared to be waiting for her. As the driver got out and opened the passenger door for her, she knew she must be doing the right thing.
"Get in." Aubrey commanded.
A/N: Okay, so I heard this song and because of the lyrics immediately thought of Beca producing it or something. And I _know_ the original is not exactly her sound, so I’m thinking that her version would be slower, and in a different key.
It started off as a one-shot, but as I was writing it I started to think about how a second part might actually play out. So if you liked it enough to want a part two, or if you'd prefer I never wrote anything ever again, just let me know.