Bechloe - Easy For You To Say

Chapter VI

When Beca got home later that day she decided to sleep on the couch. She had a little chat with Stacie but it didn't go very far since Beca wasn't one to open up to anyone except Chloe. Stacie informed Beca, Chloe, and the other Bellas that they were going on a retreat to the Lodge of Fallen Leaves, which was a camp that Aubrey ran to deal with her control issues. Everyone was excited to get away, everyone but Beca, of course. Chloe was a little hesitant, too. She would usually have been excited about the trip but because she was going through a rough patch with Beca, she wasn't her usual self.

The journey to the lodge was rather uncomfortable and awkward since every Bella could feel the air thick with tension between Beca and Chloe who didn't speak to each other. Chloe wanted to speak to her girlfriend but Beca just shoved her headphones over her ears and listened to music as well as working on her mixes. Beca was too upset with Chloe to even look at her. The brunette sat at the front of the Bellas bus instead of the back where she usually sat, and usually with Chloe by her side. She knew that Chloe was watching her but she didn't want to look at Chloe at all or even have the older woman within her sight. So, the front of the bus it was.

When they finally got to the lodge the tension had dissipated a little since Aubrey put the Bellas straight to work by making them set up their own tents, which they did well until a tree fell on two of them, causing all of the Bellas to share a tent. Beca was extremely annoyed by that. If she didn't want to be at the lodge before, she certainly didn't want to be there at that moment.

"Thanks for fitting us in on such late notice, Bree," Stacie said as the Bellas were all eating dinner around the campfire while Stacie was accompanying Aubrey around the lodge, checking that the bear traps were all set correctly.

"That's okay. The Bellas are in need of some bonding, not just Beca and Chloe," the blonde spoke. "I must admit, when you told me about their... situation, I wasn't sure what to expect but it is definitely real."

"Yeah, it's not something I thought I'd have to experience," Stacie laughed.

"Me, too."

"So, how've you been?"

"Yeah, good!"

"How's it here at the lodge?"

"It's going well. I'm finding that it's really helping me with my control issues. It's nice to see something good come out of it for once."

"Not much bad came out of it as you think."

Aubrey quirked up a small smile then stopped at the lake where she leaned against the railing and looked at the moonlight reflecting off of the water.

"It sure is a nice place here," Stacie commented.

"It is. I love night walks."

"You're not afraid of bears or anything like that?"

"No, that's why we have the traps."

"Fair enough," Stacie chuckled.

"How have you been anyway? We haven't seen each other in a while."

"Yeah, I've been good. Just doing my usual thing - you know me."

"I do... Listen... I'm sorry that we haven't been able to see each other much in person. I've just been getting more work and it's full on. I mean, I pretty much run this place so there's a lot of responsibility there."

"No, that's fine. I understand. I couldn't imagine doing what you do. I can just do what I do now!" Stacie laughed as did Aubrey.

"You do what you do well, Stace..." The blonde linked her fingers with Stacie's. "I miss being around you."

Stacie got chills all through her. "I miss being around you, too."

The two women turned and looked at each other. First, it was into their eyes then down at their lips where they moved in and closed the gap they were dying to close as soon as they saw one another. Both of them filled with excitement as they kissed and it lasted for several seconds before they pulled away.

"They know about us," Stacie confessed.

"Who?" Aubrey frowned.

"The Bellas. They know I'm in love with you."

"How do they know that?"

"I told Chloe ages ago and she blurted out a whole bucketload of secrets when we didn't believe that she and Beca had swapped bodies."

Aubrey pulled away from Stacie completely.

"What's wrong?" Stacie asked, a little worried.

"Nothing, it's just..." She sighed. "I just wish we had a little more time to ourselves, you know? I like my privacy."

"I like my privacy, too, but... I do want to tell people about us. We've been going out for just over a year now and I don't want to hide anymore. I love you, Bree."

Aubrey looked at the brunette and smiled at her soft eyes.

"I love you, too, Stace."

Stacie smiled then leaned in and gave the woman another kiss.

"Now, let's get back to camp and see how the girls are coming along, hey?" Aubrey suggested.

"Sure. Let's go." Stacie took Aubrey's hand and walked with her back to camp.

~

It was nighttime and all of the Bellas had crammed themselves into one tent, which they had to sleep in a head to toe position to allow more room. Since the retreat was focused on getting Chloe and Beca to work through their differences, the Bellas had managed to get into positions that forced Beca and Chloe to sleep next to each other. Chloe was grateful but Beca was not. The tiny brunette looked up at the tent roof with a frown before rolling over only to be met with Chloe's face.

"What are we doing here?" Beca grumbled and it was the first thing she said to Chloe ever since their argument.

"We're bonding. You seem so tense. Do you need a back rub?" Chloe pushed a strand of hair away from Beca's face but Beca shook Chloe's hand away from her.

"Several body parts are rubbing my back right now, thank you."

"You know, Beca, I know you don't want to be here but I think this retreat will help us get through some of our issues."

"Is that right?"

Chloe nodded with a smile.

"Well, let's just hope I'm smart enough, huh?" Beca retorted and Chloe's face fell. "I wanna go home." Beca finished then rolled over and fell asleep with her back facing her girlfriend.