Chloe lounged on the deck with her wine glass, the bottle on the table beside her. Beca was working late – again – and Chloe had decided to drink about it. Since Beca’s last album had been a hit, the label was keeping her busier. Chloe had always wanted Beca to become successful, but that Friday night in late May, she missed her wife fiercely. Tomorrow was their five year wedding anniversary and they hadn’t even discussed it. The ginger had resigned herself to the assumption that Beca had forgotten.
Sighing, she scrubbed a hand over her face and through her hair roughly. Swirling the wine in her glass, she thought back to the night, so many years ago, that had changed everything.
Amy picked her up in a tight hug while screeching, “We did it! We won!” All the Bellas had piled into Amy and Flo’s room to celebrate their second ICCA championship. Laughing, Chloe insisted Amy put her down so she could drink her beer.
Stacie cranked up the music and for a couple hours, they all drank and danced. Somewhere around midnight, Chloe grabbed Beca’s wrist. “C’mon,” she slurred. “Let’s go relax.” Beca nodded agreeably and they made their way down the hall to their room. They had all doubled up to save money, and Beca had been quickly claimed by the redhead who had become her best friend.
With the door locked behind them, they changed for bed and settled at the head of Beca’s bed, leaning on each other as they sipped the drinks they had carried with them. Beca casually slung an arm around Chloe’s shoulders as she had a hundred times before. “We were fucking fantastic tonight,” the brunette asserted.
“Hell yeah, we were. Thanks to you and your music.” Chloe rested her head on Beca’s shoulder, another common gesture between them. They had gotten very close over the last year, especially as co-leaders of the Bellas. Music was Beca’s purview, and choreography fell to Chloe. Between them, they had provided a winning set for their friends.
Chloe smiled as she remembered the adrenaline rush of performing, followed by the jubilation of being announced the winners. Three years in a row, they had secured their place in Barden history. Those had been good years. Sipping her wine, her mind wandered back in time again.
They fell quiet as they drank, remembering the thrill of the stage in front of a packed-full Lincoln Center. Chloe lifted her head to turn and ask Beca a question. Before she could speak, she felt Beca’s lips pressed to hers in a beer-flavored kiss.
Surprised, she put a hand on her shoulder. “Becs, what…” she started.
Beca’s deep blue eyes were intense when Chloe looked into them. “Tell me you don’t want it,” Beca whispered. “Tell me that, and I’ll stop.” She waited patiently while Chloe’s sky blue eyes scanned her face.
“We’re drunk,” Chloe stated.
“I know.”
Something deep inside her was tugging her towards Beca. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt it, but it had never been this strong before. Slowly, she slid her hand down Beca’s arm to tentatively lace fingers with her. Beca smiled softly, and that broke through whatever resistance she had left. Leaning forward, she drew Beca into a slow, deep kiss that had her own toes curling.
That had been their first kiss. Chloe refilled her glass and checked her phone. A text from Aubrey that she quickly answered, but nothing from her wife. Dropping the phone in her lap, she set her eyes on the city skyline again. They had bought this house four years ago, after Beca’s first solo album had taken off. Chloe had insisted on a good view, so they had been extra picky about the houses they looked at. These days, Chloe was grateful for the view, as she spent evenings alone on the deck reading or just waiting.
Beca raised her hand to lie along Chloe’s jaw as the kiss continued, neither wanting it to end. Slowly, Beca leaned further, forcing Chloe to lie back. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since my first day at Barden,” Beca murmured against her lips, balancing on knees and one hand as the other coasted down Chloe’s bare arm.
The ginger shivered at the light touch. “Kiss me again, Beca. I’ve been dreaming of this.”
Beca looked surprised at that, but willingly obliged. Gently, she took Chloe’s hand and placed it on her back. Chloe’s hand fisted in her shirt as she tried to rein in her desire. Beca must have sensed it. “Don’t hold back, Chlo. Let go and give me everything.”
Chloe felt those words as a pang at her core. She hadn’t been with anyone in a long time; how could she resist what Beca was offering freely? Besides, it could be a step towards something more
And it had been. Here they were, over 10 years later, and still together. For now, anyway. Chloe didn’t know what she’d do if Beca really did forget their anniversary. She also didn’t know how much longer she could put up with her wife working till nearly bed time more often than not. A glance at her phone still showed no news.
Chloe slid her hand under the back of Beca’s shirt to splay across bare, soft skin. Looking up into her best friend’s eyes, she whispered, “Take what you want, Beca. Touch me. Please.”
That plea had them kissing ferociously as their hands wandered, learning the curves and planes of each other’s bodies. Somehow, Beca got her shirt off and reached for Chloe’s. Sitting up for a moment, Chloe undressed, Beca following suit before descending on her with lips and teeth. Each nibble and bite drew a quiet moan from the ginger, and she clutched Beca tight. She’d never been so affected by someone; Beca seemed to instinctively know how and where to touch her for maximum effect, and when her hand finally drifted between Chloe’s thighs, she thought she might come undone on the spot.
“Jesus, Becs… Fuck me. Please,” she begged in a whimper. She gasped and gripped Beca tighter as she felt her fingers press into her. Lifting her hips to meet Beca’s strong, steady thrusts, she pulled the brunette into a desperate kiss even as she moaned and clawed at Beca’s back.
“Come for me, Chloe. I want to hear you.” Beca’s quiet words hit her in the gut, and moments later, she was whimpering and writhing beneath Beca as she came, the waves of sensation blocking out everything but the woman kneeling over her.
Beca had blown her mind that night, and it soon became a regular occurrence. They hadn’t bothered hiding their growing relationship; the Bellas hadn’t even blinked when they found out their leaders were an item. Amy and Chloe had switched rooms at the Bella house so Chloe could room with Beca. They tried to be respectful of their friends, but every once in a while, someone would enter the kitchen in the morning mumbling about noise keeping them up.
Sighing again, Chloe poured the last of the bottle in her glass. For all that was going on currently, Beca had always made time for her, had proven her love and loyalty over and over again. It had only been the last two months that things had gotten hard.
She heard the sliding glass door open behind her as Beca came out with a whiskey in hand and sat down. “Decided to come home?” Chloe asked sarcastically.
“Not tonight, Chlo. You can yell at me later, but not right now, please.” She sipped her drink and stretched her legs out.
Chloe waited a moment before her next question. “Do we have plans tomorrow?” She wanted to know sooner rather than later if Beca had forgotten.
“Yes, but it’s supposed to be a surprise. Do you want me to tell you anyway?” Beca sounded exhausted and, Chloe thought, a bit sad. She started feeling bad for assuming Beca hadn’t remembered. “We’ll need to pack overnight bags, at least. And we should leave by 9. Does that work?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. Becs, I’m sorry,” Chloe said quietly.
Beca sighed. “I know it’s been rough, babe. I don’t like it either. There’s just a lot going on, a lot of changes coming.” She finally turned to look at her wife. “I didn’t forget our anniversary,” she murmured.
Chloe ducked her head a bit. “Can I… Can I sit with you before bed?” Beca nodded, and Chloe switched seats, leaving her empty wine glass on the table. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as Beca’s free arm wrapped around her waist. “I miss you, Becs. I miss us, how we were before all of this upheaval at work. Eating dinner together. Date nights. Lately, you don’t come home till late, and all you want is a drink and bed.” She looked down to where she picked at her nails. “Beca, am I in your way? Am I holding you back?”
Beca set her glass down and tilted Chloe’s face up to meet her eyes. “No, love. None of this is your fault.” Letting her hand fall, she continued, “But it’s probably my fault. I can tell you everything tomorrow. I just hope it ends up being worth it. I hate seeing you so sad and alone.”
Desperate to relieve some measure of their pain, Chloe pulled Beca into a slow, deep kiss. “I need you, Beca. It’s been weeks,” she whispered against her lips. “I need to feel your love in the way you touch me.”
Unable to deny her wife what she asked, Beca left the whiskey abandoned as she carried Chloe to the bedroom.
***
Beca’s alarm woke them at 6. Chloe rolled over and hid her face in Beca’s shoulder. “It’s very early,” she commented sleepily.
Beca yawned. “I know. But we have to eat, shower, and pack. And I think we need more than overnight bags.”
Chloe nodded and pulled back for a soft kiss before they got up and started moving.
They were easily ready at 9, and Beca pointed the car north and started driving. “Can I ask how long the drive is?” Chloe asked as they moved from the city to the suburbs and beyond.
“Three and a half hours, give or take.” Beca glanced at her wife. “You can nap in the car.”
Chloe shook her head. “I’m fine. I want to enjoy our day with you.” She laced fingers with her, leaning their elbows on the console, Beca shooting her a warm smile.
They stopped a few times for breaks and food, but finally, around 1, they passed a sign saying “Welcome to Lake George.” Chloe clapped happily; she’d heard from others how great Lake George could be and had mentioned it to Beca several times. “Oh my god, Becs, you drove us this far when you have work Monday morning?!”
Beca chuckled. “I drove this far specifically because you’ve been wanting to come here for a long time. So, I took next week off. We can spend any or all of it up here.”
Chloe gripped Beca’s hand tight. “Can we do the dinner cruise on the lake? I’ve heard it’s gorgeous.”
“Of course. I already booked it. But we need to check into the hotel and relax a bit first.” Beca followed the GPS to their hotel for the week. When they were checked in and settled in their room, Beca sat at the table with the half of a latte she had from the drive, tugging at Chloe’s shirt hem till she sat in her lap. “Now that we’re here, we can talk. Do you want all the news now, or when we get back later?”
“Now is better. I don’t expect to do much talking later.” Chloe draped an arm around her shoulders.
Beca took a deep breath. “They want another album next year. But first… Chlo, they want a tour for the last one. Me, on tour, performing my music.” Chloe could hear her excitement through her calm voice.
“When and for how long?” she asked, already dreading the idea of months in the house alone.
“The tour starts in September. Since it’s my first, they only booked 3 months of shows.” She frowned. “You aren’t happy,” she observed quietly.
Chloe gave her a small smile. “I’m happy for you. Your career has taken off, you’re successful. Everything I ever wanted for you.”
“But?” Chloe tried to wave it off, but Beca persisted. “There’s something you’re not saying.”
Chloe looked into her eyes. “I’ll miss you desperately.”
Beca blinked. “Wait, didn’t I tell you the best part?”
“What best part?”
“You’re coming with me, babe. Did you really think I’d disappear for 3 months without you?” Beca twined their fingers. “Chlo, the last 2 months has been preparing for the tour. But it was just locked in yesterday.” She looked at Chloe intently, realization dawning on her. “I’ve been so wrapped up… Babe, I am so sorry for letting you doubt me.” She lowered her voice. “How bad did I let it get? Be honest, so I can work on fixing it.”
Chloe sighed and looked down at their joined hands. “When you first started working late, I didn’t think twice. After a couple weeks, I started getting lonely, but I knew you were busy. When you told me about the tour just now, part of me expected you to go off for three months and fall for someone else.” Her voice was barely above a whisper at the end.
Beca wrapped her arms around her and held her close and tight. “I had no idea it was that bad, love. On our wedding day, exactly 5 years ago, I promised to love you forever, to take care of you, and to never leave you behind. Apparently, I haven’t been doing a good job with taking care of you.” She pressed a tender kiss to her temple. “I’m gonna fix that. I’m going to do a better job. Will you let me try? Give me another chance to be the wife you deserve?”
Chloe framed Beca’s face with her hands for a deep, passionate kiss. “Yes, of course I will. I love you, Beca Mitchell.”
“I love you, Chloe Beale.”