Leia's eyes fluttered open slowly, her head a little foggy from her deep sleep. Her eyes flickered as she looked around, not recognising the ceiling that was directly above her face or the soft breeze that drifted around her toes. 

As she moved a little, a tight arm wrapped around her squeezed her subconsciously, the body snuggling in closer to her and bringing Leia immediately back to her senses. She remembered now.

It appeared that they'd fallen asleep on the couch, having settled down to watch Love Actually while sharing a pizza the night before. She wasn't sure when they'd somehow found themselves snuggled under a blanket, but she knew it hadn't taken long for Taylor to complain about being cold and leaning against her side.

It must not have taken them long to fall asleep either, cause Leia was sure they hadn't even reached her favourite scene in the movie - when Hugh Grant's character danced through 10 Downing Street. She couldn't imagine they'd been comfortable on the couch, but since the sun was clearly in the sky now and Taylor was still asleep, they must have had a much better sleep than she originally thought.

Leia carefully shifted her body, trying not to disturb Taylor as she untangled herself from their cozy position on the couch. She stretched her limbs and let out a soft yawn, feeling the warmth of the morning sun on her face. As she stood up and made her way to the window, she couldn't help but marvel at the breathtaking view that greeted her.

Through the security film on the windows, she could just make out some of the hustle and bustle of New York that peaked out from the end of the street. She'd never been on Cornelia Street before, but it seemed to be located in a nice little part of the city where it wasn't too busy, but it also wasn't a ghost town. She was sure there had been a cute coffee shop near the end of the street that she'd driven past last night, and figured that it would maybe be nice to wake Taylor up with a little surprise.

Leia's heart swelled with gratitude for this unexpected turn of events. Just a few months ago, she had been performing in small clubs, dreaming of making it big in the music industry. And now, here she was, waking up in a glamorous penthouse with one of the most famous pop-stars in the world.

As Leia turned around to glance at Taylor who was still peacefully sleeping on the couch, she figured that the pop-star wouldn't even notice her slipping out to grab her a morning wakeup present. Tugging off the sweater she had been wearing the night before, Leia noticed one of Taylor's old eagles sweaters lying in a pile of folded laundry in the corner of the room. She smiled, reaching out and pulling the material over herself before slipping her feet back into the disheveled pair of converse she'd arrived in.

Leia's phone chimed with a message notification, breaking the stillness of the room. Leia let out a small curse as she silenced the phone, peaking around to see that Taylor was still fast asleep amongst the blanket den they'd buried themselves under the night before. She smiled, edging back towards the entrance of the penthouse as she looked down at her phone to see Georgie's message flash across the screen.

Just wanted to let you know that I watched ur Kimmel interview this morning. You were amazing! I'm so so so so proud of you bestie. Miss youuuu, pls can I come visit soon?

Leia smiled as she typed out a quick response, opening the front door to the apartment and slipping out before Taylor stirred awake. She pressed the elevator button, stepping in and tilting back on forth on her feet as she waited for the lift to arrive at the ground floor.

"Hey Zack," she murmured as she was greeted with the presence of another of Taylor's security. The man smiled, clearly not surprised to see her as she was sure Mark had told him during their changeover that Leia was yet to have left the building. He wasn't as talkative as Mark, and he took Leia's presence a little more seriously than the others did. She didn't mind it - she preferred knowing that Taylor had security that genuinely cared for her.

"Good morning, Miss Hudson," he replied, a small smile on his lips.

"You can call me Leia," she reminded him. He smiled back, knowing that he was getting under her skin a little.

"Sure," he replied, and Leia knew that he didn't care. She rolled her eyes, a grin on her face as he moved forward with her and opened the front door to the apartment building that Taylor was renting out. "See you soon?"

"Very soon," Leia replied, stepping out on to the streets of New York and smiling as the sun properly hit her face for the first time. She loved the end of Summer - it wasn't too warm but also wasn't too cold yet either. "I'm just grabbing some breakfast. Want a coffee? Before you say no, I'm paying and I really would like to bring you one. So actually, rather than answering that, just tell me what you drink."

"Macchiato, please," he replied, knowing that there was no point arguing with her.

"One macchiato coming right up," she replied, before casting a glance around. "Any coworkers here today? Or you by yourself?"

"For now, just me," he replied, shutting the apartment building door as he too stepped outside on to the street, his eyes sweeping up and down before returning to Leia. "No-one seems to know Miss Swift is here yet, but I'm sure it won't be long before they somehow figure it out. Once that happens, we've got contingency plans in place to increase security at all times."

"Fair enough," Leia replied, reaching into her pockets and realising that she had no sunglasses on her and squinting as the sun shone in her eyes. Zack smiled, reaching into his pocket and passing her his own. "Oh, you don't need to..."

"If it helps no-one to recognise you on your way back here, then I'd insist," he smugly replied, Leia realising that he was right. She took them, placing them over her eyes and almost sighing as the sun stopped disrupting the corner of her vision. "We've been stung with that before."

Leia wasn't sure she wanted to hear what he meant by that, but she was very aware that time was ticking and Taylor could wake up without her there at any moment. She thanked him once more before turning on her heels and heading down the street.

____

"Hey! I wasn't sure what you liked, so I just picked up a caramel oat-milk latte? I wasn't sure what milk you took, or if you took it, so I just figured..."

Leia trailed off as Taylor looked at her with nothing but admiration on her face. The blonde looked genuinely shocked to see Leia walking in with two coffees and a paper bag in her hands, having just stepped out of her shower after waking up to see Leia had left while she was sleeping.

"Oh, did you think I... just ditched without saying goodbye?"

"No, Zack messaged me as soon as you left," Taylor laughed, dabbing at her wet hair with a towel as she smiled at Leia and walked towards her. Meredith was now lying in the blankets on the couch that they'd shared the night before, and Leia was sure Olivia was nearby too. "He was worried I'd wake up with the door closing behind you and think that. He was right."

Leia blushed, feeling a mix of relief and guilt wash over her. She hadn't even thought about leaving a note for Taylor, in the case that she had woken up while Leia was out the door. She handed Taylor the caramel oat-milk latte and watched as Taylor took a sip, her eyes fluttering closed in delight.

"This is perfect," Taylor said, leaning against the kitchen counter. "Thank you, Leia."

"I knew you'd like it," Leia replied, trying to sound nonchalant, but failing miserably. Taylor smirked, her green eyes sparkling mischievously. 

"You're a terrible liar, you know that?" Taylor murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to Leia's lips. "But for future record, as much as I love oat milk, I usually just take non-fat milk."

Leia rolled her eyes, taking a sip from her own cup as she moved to the nearest surface and placed the cup down on the table along with the small bag of pastries that she'd picked up for her and the singer to share. She'd already dropped off Zack's macchiato on the way in, accompanied with a bacon and egg bagel for the man. He'd tried to play it cool, but she could tell that he was impressed at the effort she put in for him too.

Taylor set her own coffee cup down and closed the distance between them with slow, deliberate steps, Leia's back turned to her as she looked into the paper bag. Leia's heart raced as Taylor's fingers gently brushed against hers, sending shivers down her spine at the sudden contact.

"You didn't have to bring me coffee," Taylor whispered, her voice barely above a breath. "But I'm really glad you did."

Just as their lips were about to meet in a stolen kiss, the sound of Olivia's meow broke the spell. Startled, they pulled away from each other and turned towards the source of the interruption. Olivia sat on the counter, her tail swishing back and forth, clearly displeased at being ignored.

Taylor laughed, her cheeks flushed with both embarrassment and amusement.

"Well, it seems like your cats aren't a fan of PDA," Leia couldn't help but said as she laughed too, relieved by the lightheartedness that had settled between them. She reached out to scratch behind Olivia's ears, making the cat purr contentedly.

"Thank you for everything last night," Taylor said sincerely, her voice laced with genuine gratitude. "You have no idea how much it meant to me that you stayed and listened."

Leia reached out instinctively and pulled Taylor into a tight embrace, their bodies fitting together as if they were made for each other.

"Hey, anytime," Leia breathed as she released the girl, moving her hand behind her and lifting the paper bag so Taylor could see the baked goodies that she'd also brought back with her. "Now... how about breakfast?"

____

"Look, I'm worried about you, that's all," Adrian's voice echoed as Leia took her earphones off, leaving the studio booth and walking out to face Riven who was leaning against the mixing table. The man looked equally as concerned as Adrian, his arms crossed over his body as Leia ignored them both.

"I spoke to your dad..."

"Excuse me?" Leia said, instantly moving from where she had been looking at her producer's notes on her last recording. She spun round so quickly that Riven almost got a fright, surprised at the reaction that she had to those words from Adrian. 

Adrian sighed, his usually calm demeanor tinged with worry lines etched across his forehead. 

"Your dad reached out to us," he explained gently, reaching out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. "He's worried about your safety, Leia. With your rising popularity, there are people out there who might try to take advantage of you or worse. He's not just worried about you Leia, he's worried about Georgie too."

Leia's heart skipped a beat at the mention of her younger sister's name, her brows furrowing in confusion. 

"What do you mean? Why would Georgie need me to hire a security team?"

"Think about it, Leia," Riven continued, taking over from Adrian as he looked up from where he had bene scrolling on his phone. "You've become a rising star, and your popularity is soaring. People recognize you everywhere you go. It's not just about protecting yourself anymore; it's about safeguarding those you love."

He turned his phone around, a video from a few days prior of paparazzi crowding around a restaurant that she and Cara had been eating in in Los Angeles. She sighed, slumping a little as she watched the moment that they left the restaurant and they were immediately crowded until Cara's security cleared a path for them.

"Imagine if Cara's team hadn't been there, and it had been Georgie with you instead," Riven said, continuing as Leia went to but in. "And no, it's not just because Cara was there that it was crowded. You know that you're becoming a big name now, Leia. It's not too much to ask for us to just wish you'd look into a little bit of extra protection."

"Georgie idolizes you, Leia. She looks up to you with stars in her eyes, but she's still so young and vulnerable. You need someone who can ensure her safety when she comes to visit and you're not around - and when you are too," Adrian continued, and she understood now why her dad had contacted the man about this and not just herself directly. He understood what it was like to do anything for his family, and her dad clearly had realised that.

Leia's mind raced as she absorbed their words. The weight of responsibility pressed upon her shoulders, and she couldn't deny the underlying truth in what they were saying. The thought of anything happening to Georgie was unbearable.

"I just... I don't want someone following me everywhere," Leia protested weakly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Riven reached out and gently took Leia's hand in his, his touch offering comfort and support. 

"Leia, we understand your hesitation. Privacy is important to you, and we respect that. But having a security team doesn't mean they'll always be breathing down your neck. Look at Zack, Mark and the rest of Taylor's team. Most people wouldn't even notice they're there."

Silence hung heavy in the room, the weight of their words sinking into Leia's consciousness. She had always been fiercely independent, but now she had others counting on her... maybe it was time to face the reality that she couldn't protect everyone from what she barely could protect herself from. Finally, she let out a long sigh and looked at Adrian and Riven with a newfound determination in her eyes.

"Okay," she finally relented, her voice barely audible. "I'll consider it, but on one condition - I get to choose my own team."

"Of course," Adrian agreed, his voice filled with reassurance. He'd expected that she'd want to do that anyway. "We'll help you find the best security team that aligns with your values and respects your boundaries. I'm not asking you to get a team of forty people, but one or two is a good start for now."

"Thanks."

Leia looked over at Riven as he typed away on his phone. When he and Adrian had told her they needed to speak to her, Adrian had said he had something to say and then Riven had something else he needed to talk about.

Adrian also looked at Riven, the other man oblivious that both were now waiting on him to look up from his phone and tell them about whatever it was. Adrian cleared his throat after a moment, irritation on his face as Riven zoned back in and realised that they were waiting on him to speak.

Riven finally looked up from his phone, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he addressed Adrian and Leia.

"So, guys, I have some exciting news to share." He paused for dramatic effect, knowing full well that both of them were now on the edge of their seats. "I've just received an invitation to the Tommy Hilfiger show at New York Fashion Week."

"Okay? Enjoy?" Adrian replied, not sure why he should care that his coworker had been invited to attend an award show. Adrian didn't care for models or fashion or events, so he wasn't sure why Riven thought he'd care about this.

"Wow, that's incredible! How did you manage to snag an invite?" Leia replied, elbowing Adrian a little for being rude to the PR manager in front of them. Riven rolled his eyes at the duo, not impressed that their enthusiasm wasn't quite reaching the same level as his.

"No, not for me," he replied, like it was the most stupid suggestion in the world.

"Then why say that you received an invitation? If you mean Leia, why not just say 'oh hey guys, Leia's been invited to a fashion show'?" Adrian bickered back, his arms across his chest now as he gave the same attitude back to the publicist. Adrian and Riven got along well, but their personalities certainly clashed often and this seemed to be one of those times.

Riven let out an exasperated sigh, his patience wearing thin. 

"Alright, fine. Leia, you've been invited to the Tommy Hilfiger show at New York Fashion Week," he clarified, emphasizing each word with a pointed look at Adrian. Leia's eyes widened in surprise and excitement.

Leia rolled her eyes at the banter between Adrian and Riven. They were like an old married couple, constantly bickering but still managing to work together flawlessly. She couldn't help but smile at their dynamic, grateful to have them by her side regardless.

"Okay, okay, enough with the arguing," Leia interjected, trying to deflate the tension in the room. "That's so random, why would they invite me?"

"Gigi, most likely," Riven replied, turning his phone around to show her the list of models that were expected to be walking at the show. "She's just announced she's working on designs with him, remember?"

Adrian's irritation melted away as he watched Leia's excitement grow. Despite his initial skepticism towards fashion shows, he couldn't deny the magnitude of this offer. Good publicity, and without Leia actually having to speak to anyone or do a performance? Excellent and easy to organise.

"Are you serious?" Leia asked, her voice filled with awe. "I mean, I would love to go, but what if I stand out? I'm not really into the whole fashion scene."

"Leia, you're a rising star in the music industry. You already stand out everywhere you go. And besides," Riven added with a playful smile, "you're friends with some of the top models in the world. I'm sure Gigi or Cara will be able to talk you through it all."

"But seriously," Adrian interrupted, his tone turning more serious as he pointed out that this wasn't just a fun little night out. "This could be a great opportunity for exposure. You'll be mingling with influential people in the industry, and who knows? You might even catch the eye of some top designers."

Her excitement was tangible as she turned to Adrian and Riven, determination shining in her eyes.

"You guys are right... and I get to support my friend so... yeah, I'll go to it."

Riven clapped his hands together, grinning from ear to ear. 

"That's the spirit! You won't regret it, Leia."

In the midst of their conversation about who she could contact to provide her with an outfit, Leia's phone buzzed with a text notification. She glanced down and saw that it was from Georgie again. A fond smile tugged at her lips as she read her younger sister's excited message about how proud she was of Leia and that their parents had said she could come visit once she'd finished up her last game of the school season.

"Okay," Leia said, a determined tone in her voice. "I'll go to the Tommy Hilfiger show. But I actually want to introduce one condition."

"I don't really think you're at a stage of bargaining with Tommy..."

"I want to bring Georgie with me."

Riven was silent for a moment as Adrian looked between them, waiting for a response from the publicist who held the invite in his phone screen. She looked between both of them as they shared an unreadable look, her patience flickering as she waited for Riven to say something.

"Yeah, that's fine, you have a plus one anyway," Riven said, a laugh on his lips as he looked at how worked up she was getting herself. Leia's shoulders sagged in relief a little, making a face at the man as Adrian barked out a laugh. "Oh come on, don't give me that look, Leia. You have to admit I had you there for a moment."

She hated him.

____

"So... how's your girlfriend?"

Leia shot Gigi a look as she held up another outfit against her friend's body, a simple white tennis dress with the Tommy logo embroidered on the sleeve. When she'd called Gigi to thank her for the invite, the blonde had immediately asked if she had her outfit sorted. 

When Leia had said no, Gigi had taken it upon herself to find something from one of the previous Tommy collections that hadn't aged out yet. She had wanted to put her in something from her newest collection with TH, but she figured that Leia wouldn't want to be too much in the spotlight if she was bringing Georgie with her.

"I don't have a girlfriend, Gigi," Leia snarked back, knowing fine well that Gigi knew her and Taylor hadn't even had any conversations about what they were yet. Leia wanted Taylor to be her girlfriend, but the girl had so much going on and was still refusing to basically leave her Cornelia Street apartment. 

"Fine," Gigi mused, shaking her head as she decided she didn't like the dress that she held in her hands. She continued to work her way through the rack that she'd had brought over in preparation for Leia's visit. "Your friend with benefits."

"Again, I don't have any friends with benefits," Leia replied, her lips in a thin line as her friend sniggered under her breath at Leia's refusal to put a label on whatever her and Taylor were.

"Are you really going to make me reduce Taylor to your 'fuck buddy'?"

Leia tensed at that, no longer humouring Gigi as she turned away from the mirror and fully faced her friend. Gigi stepped back slightly, still having a small smirk on her face but allowing it to drop ever so slightly at the look on Leia's face.

"Gigi, please," Leia sighed, running her hands over her face. "We haven't done anything further than kiss, and I don't want to pressure her into anything right now... You and I both know that she's really not in a good place right now and I don't think me asking to label things is going to help at all..."

Leia's voice trailed off, her gaze fixed on the floor as she fought back the overwhelming emotions that threatened to spill over. Gigi's smirk faded completely, replaced by a genuine expression of concern.

"But I do care about her, Gigi," Leia continued, her voice filled with sincerity. "I want to take things slow and make sure we're both on the same page. And it's not just about the physical aspect, you know? Taylor is incredible, and I want to build a real connection with her."

Gigi's expression softened as she listened to Leia's heartfelt words. She reached out and placed a comforting hand on her friend's arm.

"I'm sorry if I crossed a line," Gigi said, genuine remorse in her voice. "I can see how much Taylor means to you, and I respect that. I was just hoping, I guess, that things might have gone a bit further since the last time we spoke about it. She's so... I can just tell that she's struggling but she won't talk to me or the other girls about it. I guess I was just hoping she'd have opened up to you."

Leia nodded again, finding solace in Gigi's words. She trusted Gigi implicitly; after all, the girl had been through thick and thin with Leia since she'd been introduced properly to her. She was one of few people who knew the truth about how things had played out with Dylan, and she just knew that she wanted the best for her other friend too.

"But you should talk to her, Leia," Gigi insisted gently, her tone changing from teasing to earnest. "Communication is key in any kind of relationship, and if you want to define what's going on between you and Taylor, you have to have that conversation."

Leia sighed and sank onto the edge of the sofa as Gigi continued to ruffle through outfit options, feeling a mix of frustration and gratitude toward her friend. She knew Gigi was right, but she really didn't want to push Taylor when the girl was literally scared to even leave her apartment for more than ten minutes out of fear she'd been seen by paps.

"Any other time, I'd say you're right, Gigi," Leia admitted, her voice laced with uncertainty. "I just... I don't know how she'll react and I don't want her to think I need anything from her. She's so worried about who is and isn't her friend right now and I don't think trying to move things quickly is going to help that G."

Gigi squeezed Leia's knee reassuringly as she passed her another outfit, motioning towards the mirror and indicating that she wanted her friend to actually try this one on.

"I get it. But sometimes you have to take risks for the sake of your own happiness. And who knows? Maybe talking about it will bring you even closer together."

Leia stared at her reflection in the mirror, contemplating Gigi's words. She knew deep down that Gigi was right. Communication was the key to any successful relationship, and if she wanted to define what was going on between her and Taylor, she had to gather the courage to have that conversation.

She just didn't want to do it while Taylor felt like her entire world was ending.

As Leia slipped into the outfit Gigi had handed her, she looked at herself critically, analysing her look. Gigi hovered just behind her, smiling at her friend over her shoulder as she looked at the choice that she'd picked out.

"What do you think?"

"Yeah, I think so," Leia murmured, running her hands over the soft knitted material. 

It was a simple look, but that's why Leia thought it worked well. A dark blue knitted sweater, with a little white pleated skirt. She'd probably wear some variation of sneakers with it, but regardless, she knew it was just what she needed. It looked classy, but felt casual.

"Great, so now that I've done you a favour... I was hoping you'd be able to help me out with one of my own."

Leia turned to Gigi, an eyebrow raised. What could Leia possible offer Gigi that the famous supermodel wasn't able to do or have done herself?

Gigi's eyes twinkled mischievously as Leia studied her, trying to unravel the mystery behind her request. It was rare for Gigi to be vulnerable, and Leia could sense that this was something important to her. She tilted her head in curiosity, encouraging Gigi to continue.

"Well, you see," Gigi began, her voice slightly hesitant. "I've been planning this fashion show for months now. It's a big event for me, and I want it to be perfect. And there's someone I would really like to have there."

Leia blinked, her mind racing through the list of celebrities that Gigi could potentially be referring to. But before she could voice her thoughts, Gigi clarified.

"It's Taylor," Gigi paused, searching Leia's face for any sign of refusal before she continued. "I invited her too, but she said that her being there would just ruin my night. She's got herself convinced that if she attends, it'll give the show negative press and the entire collection will be thrown out."

Gigi was right - Taylor's constant fear of being seen outside in public had put a pause on her own friendships. It was suffocating, almost unbearable for Taylor to even consider stepping into the media fray at the moment... but also Leia yearned for something more genuine and real with Taylor, even if she wasn't expecting them to hold hands and skip down the street, so she could understand what Gigi was feeling. Taylor deserved to be able to go outside and hang out with her friends. She really deserved it. They all did.

"I want Taylor to come because she means the world to me," Gigi continued earnestly. "She has been my rock through all the ups and downs of this industry. Having her presence at my show would make it even more special. So, Leia, I was wondering if you could work your magic and try to convince her."

Leia opened her mouth to interrupt, but Gigi continued.

"She won't listen to us... but she's opened up a piece of her to you that none of us have ever came close to seeing," Gigi murmured softly, her eyes dropping to the ground a little. "I just think that if we had a few of us there, ready to support her and with a quick exit route in plan if she needed it, then she'd maybe consider venturing out."

Leia nodded, a determined fire ignited within her. She had witnessed firsthand the strength of Gigi's friendship with Taylor, and she couldn't bear to see Gigi disappointed.  Besides, Gigi was right - it wasn't healthy for Taylor to stay locked up like Rapunzel in her apartments. 

"I'll talk to her," Leia said firmly. "I can't promise anything, but I'll do my best to convey how much this means to you. I'm bringing Georgie, so maybe that might help convince her to come."

"Holy shit, Georgie's coming?" Gigi asked, a grin breaking across her face. "I love that girl. Such good vibes."

"You literally don't know her though?"

"Nah, nah," Gigi said, flapping her arms. "When you went into your mad drug spiral, sorry - your temporary slip in judgement - she messaged me a few times. She's sweet, and I kept in touch."

Leia was a little flabbergasted at that. How had Georgie managed to stay in touch with Gigi and somehow not have let that secret out of the bag to Leia? She made a mental note to ask the rest of their friends if they were in touch with her little sister, suddenly understanding why Georgie seemed so much more keen to come visit.

The girl took a deep breath, her mind racing with thoughts of how to approach Taylor about attending Gigi's fashion show. She knew it wouldn't be easy to convince Taylor to step out of her comfort zone, but she had to try.

She had to.