I know it has been a long time. Understatement much? ;) I can think of a lot of excuses, but I think it's unnecessary to word them all out - unless you demand it, lol... :) I will finish this fic soon - I plan to write three more chapters. So. Lets get on with it then. -

''Dad!'' Beca whispered, her whole world just came crashing down.

''Answer me, Beca! Why are you kissing Chloe?''

''This is nothing.'' Beca mumbled, and she heard Chloe groan in frustration a few steps behind her. Up and till now she didn't even think about Chloe, the fear of her father and what he just saw her doing totally engulfed her senses. She was shaking from head-to-toe.

''Didn't look like nothing to me!'' Shane screamed so loudly and Beca shamefully wondered whether some students in their dorm rooms could hear him. She peeked up to some of the dorm rooms, and sure enough, some students were curiously peeking through their curtains to watch the commotions and drama outside.

''You seduced her, didn't you Beca?! For all I know every woman on the god-dammed planet is gay! Maybe I should start worrying about Sheila and her assistant Angela…''

''Shane, don't be ridiculous.'' Chloe intervened, annoyed.

''Oh now I'm ridiculous?! You're going to be stepsisters!'' Shane screamed, his eyes was wild with anger.

''Dad, I didn't plan this… It just sort of happened and it isn't a big deal…'' Beca mumbled, not making eye-contact with him – especially not with Chloe.

Chloe took a few angry steps forward, and to Beca's surprise the redhead focused her anger on her and not her father.

''Honestly, Beca?'' Chloe challenged, and Beca looked down at her shoes, refusing to respond. Second felt like minutes, and she breathed a sigh of relief when Chloe chose to fill the awkward silence.

''Yeah, Shane. I guess this isn't a big deal. I was a little bi-curious and I kissed Beca. She did nothing wrong, neither do we plan to take whatever this is forward.'' Chloe explained in a monotonous tone, and even though Beca wanted to argue the contrary with all she had - she remained silent. Her worst fear was just realised, and she didn't have the guts to stand up for herself and Chloe.

She just wasn't good enough. She would never be good enough, not for Chloe or her father – or even the Bella's. Tonight – this whole week, has been a major mistake.

''God Chloe, how could you even think to kiss Beca? We're going to be family!'' Shane exclaimed. But, Beca noticed, it seems as if he luckily calmed down. A bit.

He probably believes Chloe. And I don't know if I should be relieved or angry about it…

''Seeing that she is gay and she's going to be my stepsister, she seemed like the perfect person to kiss, don't you think? It's all shameless college fun. It's not as if Beca or I would want to be in a relationship knowing we'll be stepsisters, or what?'' Chloe eyed Beca's eyes without a trace of emotion.

''No.'' Bea mumbled, still avoiding eye-contact with Chloe or her father.

''I was feeling rather down after tonight's dinner, Beca as well – so I kissed her. It meant nothing – like Beca put it… So I apologize Shane, I know what it must look like to you.'' Chloe gave a humorless and sad laugh, which almost broke Beca to tears, yet she remained stoic. She has never hated herself more than this night.

''I certainly didn't expect this, no.'' Shane sighed, looking extremely frustrated. ''Chloe, I think you need to leave. And Beca go to bed – I'll be expecting you in my office at eight tomorrow morning. We need to discuss certain things. And Chloe, send my best wished to Audrey.''

''Aubrey…''

''Aubrey, it was? Aubrey then.'' Shane corrected himself angrily, and walked back to his car. He waited patiently for Chloe to drive away, before looking at Beca still standing before the building.

''If you think I believed Chloe, Beca, you must think I'm an idiot. Stay away from her and Sheila, I think you know full-well of what I'm capable of – if you forgot, I suppose you need to give mommy a call… Don't be late tomorrow.'' Shane bitterly threatened Beca, before driving away with a fast speed.

No need to call mom. I remember what a shit husband you were to her. Always insulting her... I hate him. I actually think I hate him...

She watched her father drive away with hot tears running over her cheeks, and entered the dorm building slowly feeling embarrassed, ashamed – feeling shattered.

She closed the door behind her, and when she made her way to the stairs she was surprised to see Kimmy-Jin standing before it.

''What are you doing here?'' Beca asked, sounding more irritable than she probably wanted to.

''Are you kidding me? The whole building heard your father screaming at you.'' Kimmy-Jin answered dryly.

''Well, if you want me to apologize for his behaviour you're in for a surprise.'' Beca said, still wiping tears away from her eyes. ''At least the dorm building can have something legit to gossip about now-''

''Don't be stupid, Beca… Come on, I'll make us some green tea and then you can tell me all about it.'' Kimmy-Jin kindly spoke, and Beca followed her roommate wordlessly– too upset about everything to wonder why Kimmy-Jin of all people cared enough to comfort her.

''Okay Beca, are you going to tell me what happened or not?'' Kimmy-Jin spoke up from her side of the room (very clean and orderly, unlike her side), waiting patiently for Beca to calm herself.

''It's complicated.'' Beca sighed.

''No shit.'' Kimmy-Jin answered dryly, and when the DJ still didn't respond, she impatiently took another swig of her green tea.

''Look Bella, when it comes to parents that are assholes – I'm an expert. My mother and father are 'tiger-parents'. I had to do really well in all my subjects or they would scream at me, tell me I'm stupid and a disgrace. I am the stereotypical clever Asian girl, sure, but I'm what I am partly because I conformed to my parents' extreme wishes. Now I like studying and I love science, but I still need to maintain a 4.0 GPO score just so that can leave me alone.'' Kimmy-Jin explained, matter-of-factly.

''I thought you hated me?'' Beca answered confusedly, her curiosity getting the best of her eventually. ''And I'm sorry about you parents…'' She added while trying to swallow some of the green tea as well, which she didn't like at all, but since Kimmy-Jin was being so kind she couldn't be a dick about it. She was tired of being a dick.

''Yeah well, I didn't like you... But when I found out that Professor Mitchell was your father I sort of felt…sorry – or not sorry, uh, I sort of understood why it always seemed as if you didn't want to be here. He is a dictator when it comes to chemistry – he gave me a B on one of my assignments – even though it was flawless. You could only imagine what my parents would do if they found out that my mark in Chem 101 is so, well, horrible.'' Kimmy-Jin responded, looking worried. ''So if he is like that with his students, I can only imagine how he might be to his daughter.'' Kimmy-Jin cautiously asked.

''He usually never gives freshmen a higher mark than a C.'' Beca assured her roommate. ''He brags about it – so don't be too worried about your B, he must think you're a genius.'' Beca tried to assure her roommate distractedly, who smiled at the compliment.

''So are you going to tell me what's up?''

''Yeah, uh, my father is really homophobic. And I'm gay, as you know.'' Beca started to explain, and Kimmy-Jin nodded. ''And he gives me a hard time for it. I joined the Bella's and sort of fell in love, or not in love – I just like her a lot, anyway – I like Chloe. But the only problem is that Chloe's mother and my father are getting married, like, in two months. So we are going to be stepsisters.''

''That's so fucked up.'' Kimmy-Jin deadpanned and Beca smiled, despite herself, at her roommates' honesty.

''Yeah, well. My dad and I had a bit of a fight earlier at his house, and I left with Chloe. We later kissed and my father walked in on us. So, whatever you heard tonight was his retaliation.''

''Shit.'' Kimmy-Jin looked worried.

''Yeah, and he asked me what our kiss meant and I said 'nothing', and I think Chloe got upset. So she sort of told my dad that she kissed me and that it didn't mean anything. That she was just going through a phase and I was like her guinea pig for gay kisses or something. He looked as if he believed her, but he told me when Chloe left that he didn't... And he threatened me.''

''What will he do?'' Kimmy-Jin asked.

''Don't know. Kick me out of Barden? Tell me to drop the Bella's, my job at the radio station…'' Beca answered.

''He cannot really do that. You're enrolled and only the dean of your faculty can kick you out of Barden.''

''He knows people.''

''And I know the regulations and laws of this place. If you have a 4.0 GPA your father's friends won't be able to kick you out even if they wanted to – and you'll probably qualify for a bursary, you wouldn't need him to pay for anything. Humanities are much more willing to give out bursaries than the Science department, which is totally unfair by the way…''

''But what if tells me to quit the Bella's and my job at the radio station?''

''Activities are all independently run – so even though the Bella's and the radio station represent Barden, no university Professor can tell you to stop participating. In fact, if he does that he'll get in major trouble if someone reports him.''

''How do you know all of this?''

''My parents didn't want me to be on the Barden chess team, so I did some reading.''

''So…Are you on the chess team?''

''Yeah, and it won't appear on my academic record so my parents will never know.'' Kimmy-Jin spoke in her characteristic emotionless tone.

''Wow, you're a badass Kimmy-Jin.'' Beca joked, and Kimmy-Jin rolled her eyes but smirked.

''You'll stay in Barden, only if you have a high GPA. Only if you want to stay?''

Beca remained silent. Leaving Barden was always something she wanted to do, but she would look like a coward if she does it now – and she was tired of feeling so weak, tired of feeling like a coward. She would leave behind Jesse, the Bella's and most importantly, Chloe.

''No, I want to stay.'' She answered, eventually.

''Do you have any projects due for Monday?''

''Yes, I have a book assignment and I need to study for a test on Wednesday.''

''Great, I'll help. If you truly want to stay here you need to prove to your professors that you want to be here. Take control of the things you can, and the rest will fall into place. Go to class, go to the radio station, go to the Bella practices and speak with one of your experienced friends about Chloe.'' Kimmy-Jin said, determinedly.

Beca nodded, Kimmy-Jin mentioning Chloe made fresh tears appear in her eyes, which she quickly swiped of her face rather angrily.

''And don't think I'll go easy on you. I know your class schedule. '' Kimmy-Jin pointed to Beca's class schedule on her desk, showing no mercy to Beca's fragile state. ''My friends and I will check if you attend your classes. In fact, perhaps we'll attend them with you if we need to so that we can push up you GPA scores. If you want to stay at Barden, we can help you make it happen.''

''Wait, what?'' Beca asked, silently freaking out at the thought of Kimmy-Jin and her friends sitting next to her in class and making her study.

''Time to show up, Beca. And don't look so scared, my friends and I will go easy on you. Now, about that book assignment – I think we can complete it tomorrow after the meeting with your father.'' Kimmy-Jin placed her cup on her desk, and got into her bed with a determined look.

''And as for Chloe… I mean… I do think it's a bit weird to date your stepsister, but it is not as if you grew up together or share the same genes... When it comes to relationships, I am sort of horrible at giving advice, but don't give up hope so quickly. Focus first on your academics to stay at Barden.''

''Uh, yeah. Thank you.'' Beca said, still a bit confused but very grateful that Kimmy-Jin was so eager to help her with her academics, knowing that perhaps it was the only way her roommate truly knew how to help... She appreciated it either way. A lot.

''Don't mention it. And I'll wake you up at six tomorrow do that I can go through the rest of your syllables.''

''Uh… Can't wait?'' Beca replied a bit sarcastically, but she gave a small smile to her roommate.

''Yeah yeah.'' Kimmy-Jin responded, rolling her eyes dramatically before switching of her night light.

Beca woke up early on Sunday, feeling like a hammer repeatedly hit her head. She cried herself to sleep, thinking about the wonderful evening she had with Chloe and how horrible it all turned out.

If only they'd returned sooner from the diner… If only her father didn't show up… She regretted many things but didn't regret kissing Chloe. She regretted how she didn't stand up to her father. Hating the fact that her fear of him proved stronger than having the courage to stand up for herself and Chloe. Now her relationship, if she could even call it that, only lasted about fifteen minutes. Due to her own stupidity. She couldn't blame her father, after all, she was the one that pushed Chloe away.

She removed her phone from the charger next to her bed, and groaned when she saw that Aubrey called her nine times last night. Even Jesse called her three times. Not having the courage to read their text messages or to listen to their voicemails, she threw her phone to the foot of her bed, burrowing her head into her pillows listlessly.

So the shit has hit the fan. Chloe must have told Aubrey. Of course she told her, and I don't blame her one bit… And Jesse knows. Urgh. Amy and everyone else think we are a couple…

Beca reluctantly stood up from her bed, and made her way towards the showers. Kimmy-Jin was still sleeping, and she was sort of happy that she would be awake before her. After all, her roommate was right – 'it was time to show up'. And Beca would start with her academics so that she could stay in college – to be part of the Bella's, to get Luke to play her songs one day and to hopefully eventually prove herself to Chloe.

Kimmy-Jin drove Beca in silence to her father's house. They spent the morning going over her study guides and marks, and she felt a bit irked at Kimmy-Jin for being so surprised with her marks. Her roommate probably thought her marks were worse than a Kesha song. Turns out, Beca only had to do a slightly better in a few class tests to achieve higher GPA.

''Uh, yeah. You could stop here.'' Beca told Kimmy-Jin, who looked confused.

''But the GPS says your father's house is one block away.''

''Yeah, but if he sees that you drove me he might hate you. And you have chemistry with him, so…''

''Would he really give me bad marks for driving you?''

''He sort of hates me right now, he could project that hate to your marks.''

''Okay. I'll park here.'' Kimmy-Jin braked as fast as lightning, and Beca smirked at her roommates' reluctance for a bad mark. ''I'll wait for you here, text me when you're done speaking with him.''

''Thanks.'' Beca said sincerely, and got out of the car and walked towards her father's house. Nerves boiling in her stomach, but she had to admit – having Kimmy-Jin as her new ally made her feel surprisingly more confident... Who would have thought?

She waited a while before the door to ring the bell, and her father opened the door before she got the courage to press it.

''Beca.'' Her father greeted her curtly. His eyes judgmentally took in her appearance.

''Dad.'' Beca acknowledge her father. Her tone betrayed a small edge to it, but he didn't seem to notice. Or perhaps he did – but what would it matter? She messed up. She kissed his future step-daughter. He always told her what a disappointment she was and she proved him right - in his eyes, anyway. And Beca knew he loved it. It gave him a much stronger grip over her life than he ever had before. He relished in it. He could dictate the situation in any manner he wished – because being gay is one thing, but liking your stepsister puts you one a whole different level of disgrace in his views, and probably in the eyes of countless others as well...

''Wait for me in my office.'' He said, stepping aside for Beca to enter the house.

''Where's Pluto?'' Beca asked, she expected the Labrador to greet her like he did the previous day, but his bed at the foot of the stairs was empty.

''He's sleeping in our room. We had a fight, I slept in the spare.'' Shane told her in an accusatory tone, before stalking off towards the kitchen.

Beca, despite feeling like crap, almost smiled. Imagining the Pluto on his side of the bed next to Chloe's mom was probably making her dad crazy with anger – or wait…

I don't need him angrier or crazier than he is already.

She walked quickly towards his office and took the seat opposite his desk lazily.

''So…'' Shane walked into the office, and he quietly closed the door behind him.

He probably doesn't want to wake up Sheila…

Shane took his seat in his impressive office char swiftly, and placed his mug of coffee before him. He slowly began to stir the contents, eyeing Beca strictly. Once he was done, he removed the spoon and gave it a good lick, placing it on a paper towel carefully.

Ew.

''There will be consequences.'' Shane began, gripping his hands together on the desk.

''Which will be?'' Beca asked, impatiently.

''Firstly, you will not attend the wedding. Reason? You will call and tell Sheila that you don't approve of our marriage.'' Shane smiled. ''Secondly, you are not welcome in my house anymore. You will not come over or contact me – or any of the Beale's ever again. Thirdly, you will maintain a 4.0 GPA if you want me to continue to cover your sorry-ass expenses at Barden. Fourthly, you will drop out of the Barden Bella's. I don't feel comfortable with the fact that Chloe is there – you've done enough damage to her as it is already.''

''You can't kick me out of the Bella's. You don't have the power to do that as a professor.'' Beca argued, remembering what Kimmy-Jin told her.

''The terms are non-negotiable. If you don't do as I say, I will –''

''What will you do?'' Beca asked, forcefully. He had no right to walk over her like that. If those were his terms then he could stick it up his –

''I will ruin your mother's life.''

''How? She doesn't need you. We didn't need you for the past few years if you haven't noticed!''

''Beca... There's a lot about your mother that you don't know.''

''Like what?'' Beca asked, disbelievingly. Not knowing what any of this had to do with her mother.

''She made me swear not to tell you.'' Shane said, smirking.

''Just tell me.'' Beca sighed, tired of her father's games.

''It will change the way you look at her forever.''

''It won't.'' Beca replied, unaffected.

''Your mother, Beca... Uh... She used to be addicted to morphine.''

''Nice try.'' Beca said, but her heart skipped a few beats. What?

''I tried my best to support her during that time…'' Shane continued, ignoring her. ''You were only a few years old, so you wouldn't remember it. I could ruin her career as a nurse – where do you think she got her fixes from?'' Shane smirked. ''From the hospital she worked at - in fact, where she still works. Why do you think she prefers long-sleeved clothes? And why has she never explained how she got the scars on her forearms to you?''

''She was in a car accident!'' Beca fought back, panicking.

It can't be true. It can't be true. It can't be -

''She's a recovered addict, Beca. Everything you think she owns is owned by me. Everything you got while you grew up is because of me. Everything.''

Beca was shocked silent.

It couldn't be... I know she never speaks about her past. Or him, a lot. But a recovered addict? What?! But he… he's a chemist. He could have… No. He wouldn't? I don't think much of him but he would never…

''So you will abide to the four terms I laid out for you. And once you get your degree, you stay out of my life and most importantly – out of my marriage, and out of Chloe's life. You and your mother are both tainted. Everything you touch turns to a nothingness. I can't allow you – ''

''Shut up!'' Beca screamed, anger pulsed within every fibre of her being. ''You're a chemist! You got mom hooked on it, didn't you? You probably even supplied her with morphine! You fucking sadist! You can't think I'm such a fucking moron to sit here and listen to everything you say without doubting anything you say… You made her an addict!''

''Quiet! And I dare you, prove it! You can't… Who would believe you?'' Shane stood from his chair, his reaction confirmed Beca's accusations and she stood from her chair as well.

''I'll stay at Barden and conform to the other shit you laid out. And I don't want to see you ever again, you're dead to me.'' Beca spat, finally turning away from him. She made her way out of his office and nearly collapsed in shock when she saw Sheila standing near Shane's office, still in her pyjamas, with her index finger placed over her lips – clearly wanting Beca not to acknowledge her presence.

Because Sheila heard.

It was written on her face. In her eyes, portraying an emotion of absolute…pain. She knew. And Beca didn't give a fuck. She was done. She saw out of the corner of her eye how Sheila carefully walked back up the stairs, probably wary that Shane would realise that she eavesdropped… But she had enough. She was...just done. And she wanted to Chloe with her. More than ever, she wished that she could have Chloe by her side, not really to speak to her or even to kiss her - she needed her presence...

Beca blindingly walked out of the house and got her phone out to call Kimmy-Jin. She groaned when she saw new missed calls on her phone from Aubrey – and now from also Amy and Stacie. She frantically searched for Kimmy-Jin's number, ignoring the missed calls - ignoring the one number that she wanted to call more than anything, and dialled her roommate as soon as she could gather her breath.

''Hi. You done?'' Kimmy-Jin answered, calmly.

''Yes.''