Long way round

chapter 12

2 months later.

After seeing the setup for the ICCA Finals, Beca was shocked to realize how much her scope of things had changed. She could still recall how just a year ago she had been standing in a very similar place with the rest of the Bellas thinking about how glamorous everything looked. Of course, that had been Carolina University and the Southeast Regional championship while this was Morton Theatre at the University of Georgia, but the competition was the same. Now after seeing Lincoln Center in all its majesty, this just felt a little drab. Of course, that didn't stop it from being one of the most important places in Beca's life to date, in more ways than the brunette really knew.

Infinite Harmony, from Georgia Tech, was currently on stage, and the Bellas were standing in the wings waiting for their turn to perform. All the girls standing around, feeling pretty confident with the new routine they had been working hard at for the last few months. Each of the girls had the "Bellas" scarf tied somewhere, most around their wrists, but Lilly had hers tied to one of her belt loops. It was the one piece of tradition that they'd really kept up from the old Bellas. Of course, Beca fully approved breaking with tradition, and so she couldn't help but swell a little with pride as she saw everyone standing around looking towards her and Stacie.

Before either girl could speak, though, Amy spoke up. "Aca-Nazi, Ranga!? What are you twigs doing back here?"

Turning, with a slight flutter in her stomach, Beca turned to see Aubrey and Chloe walking towards them smiles beaming on both girls' faces. Aubrey's green-eyed gaze swept the group, pride almost bursting through her smile as she got hug after hug from the gathered Bellas. Chloe, however, only had eyes for one brunette. Beca could only stand and watch as the redhead came up with Aubrey and stood near Beca as the girls gave Aubrey hugs. When she stepped back to let the others get at Chloe Aubrey said, "Well, we bribed the guy at the door back there to let us in so we could wish you guys good luck. Not that you're going to need it, really. But, well, we wanted you to know that we're here."

Chloe felt herself blushing a little as she started receiving hugs from the Bellas. She debated hugging Beca for a minute before finally deciding that she had molested the brunette enough with her eyes as she had walked up. Finally stepping back, Chloe avoided looking at Beca by turning her gaze to look at Aubrey, who smiled encouragingly. Seeing Chloe hug everyone but her, Beca couldn't help but think back over the last couple months and relive the journey she'd taken to get here to the stage at Regionals.

2 months earlier.

Glancing down at her phone, Aubrey noticed how late it had gotten and turned to the girl sharing her table as she shut her notebook. "Shit, I've gotta get going."

"Don't worry about it, Bree. I should get going too, Miranda is waiting for me to take her to dinner." Stacie said, leaning back in her chair and looking down at the legal pad she had in front of her. "Besides, I think we've kind of got a plan laid out to move forward with."

"Yeah, yeah I think we've got a start at least. I think, with a little bit of prodding, we can get those stubborn, blind, indecisive idiots to realize that they both want the same thing. I just hope it doesn't take too long, Chloe's been a wreck since the Riff-Off a couple of weeks ago. well, she's been a wreck since Finals." Aubrey said, shaking her head as she stood up and gave Stacie a hug. "Seriously though, you and Miranda? And here I never thought I'd live to see the day when you tied yourself to one person, let alone a girl..."

Stacie just shrugged and grinned at Aubrey as she said, "What can I say? I guess it just took the right girl to tame the hunter. Though if you'd have told me about it last year I'd have called you crazy. I'll text you when I've had a chance to sound Beca out a little further. Keep me posted about the ginger."