The first thing Leia noticed when she woke up was the quiet. It wasn't the kind of quiet she was used to - loud silence that screamed of loneliness, like the empty hotel rooms she found herself in too often when she was away from Tate and travelling. 

No, this silence was soft, warm, like a comforting blanket that wrapped around her. For a moment, she stayed still, savoring the weight of it. Her body, pressed against soft sheets, her head nestled against the pillow, and next to her -

Taylor.

She was right there, her bare back rising and falling slowly with her breathing, the faintest trace of sunlight seeping through the blinds, painting Taylor's bare skin in a golden hue. For a moment, Leia thought it was all a dream. But it wasn't. Taylor was real. Last night was real.

Leia's heart swelled with a mixture of joy and something heavier. She shifted slightly, careful not to disturb the fragile peace that hung between them. As she watched Taylor sleep, her mind replayed the events of last night - their confessions, the way Taylor had pulled her close, whispered her name like a secret only they shared. They'd crossed a line that couldn't be uncrossed, and Leia didn't have a single regret about it.

Seconds stretched into what felt like minutes, and then, Taylor's lashes fluttered, her hazel eyes slowly opening, focusing. When she saw Leia lying next to her, a soft, sleepy smile tugged at her lips.

"Morning," Taylor whispered, her voice husky with sleep.

Leia couldn't help but smile back. "Morning."

For a moment, they just stared at each other, neither of them wanting to break the fragile bubble they were in. Taylor shifted, propping herself up on her elbow. The sheet slid down her shoulder, revealing a bit more of her skin, and Leia's breath caught. It was surreal, seeing Taylor like this. Unmasked, vulnerable, her usual guarded walls nowhere to be found.

For a long time, they sat in silence, their fingers intertwined, both of them lost in their own thoughts. The morning light, once soft and golden, now felt sharper, more intrusive, as if it were a reminder that the world outside was waiting for them.

"Do you regret it?" Taylor asked suddenly, her voice quiet but edged with vulnerability. The question slipped out before she could stop it, and she immediately wished she could take it back. But it was too late. The words hung between them, heavy and fragile.

Leia's eyes widened, and she shook her head vehemently. 

"No," she said firmly. "No, Tay, I don't regret it. I could never regret this. You mean too much to me."

"But what if the world finds out?" Taylor whispered, her voice barely audible. "What if people start to talk?"

"They already will," Leia said with a sad smile. "People have been speculating about me for years and now that I'm out... I know people are going to talk about me - whether that's me and you, me and Cara, me and any of our other friends... I'm the easy target here."

Taylor studied her for a moment, hazel eyes unreadable. Then she let out a small, wistful sigh, her gaze drifting to their intertwined fingers resting on the white sheets.

"They will, won't they?" she murmured, rubbing her thumb over Leia's knuckles in a comforting gesture. "I don't want you to become a target because of me." 

The words were spoken so softly they almost got lost in the quiet morning air. Leia turned to face Taylor fully, reaching out with her free hand to gently tuck a stray curl behind Taylor's ear.

"I'm not afraid, Tay," Leia said, imbuing every word with conviction and warmth.

The pop-star looked up at Leia then, her eyes holding a mix of gratitude and fear - fear of the unknown, of change, perhaps even of herself.

"That's easy for you to say," Taylor said finally, attempting a wry smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You're new to this world... you're brave."

Silence.

"This isn't going to be easy, is it?" Taylor continued, although she already knew the answer.

"No," Leia admitted quietly, tracing circles on Taylor's bare shoulder with her fingertips. "But you're worth it. All of this is worth it for you."

In return, Taylor gifted Leia a small yet heartfelt smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes but it held an undeniable strength in it. A beep from their bedside table broke the quietude, followed by a chirpy voice alerting them of their pre-set alarms. The day was officially starting and the real world was calling for them.

"I don't want to go," Leia admitted, her voice muffled by Taylor's shoulder as she groaned and pressed herself against the blonde.

"I don't either," Taylor whispered back. "But we don't have a choice."

Slowly, reluctantly, they separated, the warmth of each other's touch slipping away. Leia glanced at the clock on the bedside table - it was still early, but the day was creeping up on them. And with the day came responsibilities, obligations, and the weight of their hidden truth.

As Taylor slid out of bed and pulled on a robe, Leia watched her, feeling a pang of longing. This moment, this fragile intimacy, was fleeting. She didn't know when they'd get another chance to be together like this, without the world intruding.

Taylor turned back to Leia, her expression soft but serious. 

"We'll figure it out," she said quietly. "I promise."

With a heavy sigh, Leia climbed out of bed, wrapping herself in the sheet as she stood by the window, looking out at the skyline. The city was already buzzing with life, unaware of the secrets being kept behind closed doors.

"Do you ever wish you could just disappear?" Leia asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Taylor stepped up behind her, resting her chin on Leia's shoulder. 

"At the moment? Every day," she said, her breath warm against Leia's skin. "Sometimes, I just don't know how much more of this all that I can take, before it takes me."

___

Leia stepped out of the car and stared up at the sun-drenched café, the sounds of brunch-goers chatting and the clinking of silverware filling the air. She took a breath, hoping the warm breeze would calm the nervous energy thrumming through her. It wasn't like she hadn't seen Karlie in a while... it had only been a few weeks, but things felt different now. 

They had been drifting apart for some time, ever since Karlie's friendship with Scooter Braun had just seemed to grow more and more. Leia hadn't said much about it; after all, Karlie had a right to be friends with whoever she wanted. But still, there was a small, persistent sting every time she thought about it.

Shaking off the unease, Leia pushed open the door and scanned the tables until she saw Karlie, already seated, her long legs crossed, a bright smile on her face as she waved Leia over.

"Hey!" Karlie called, her voice bright and welcoming. "I ordered us mimosas. Figured we could celebrate... whatever it is we want to be celebrating."

Leia smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. Sliding into the seat across from Karlie, she glanced at the table, already set with an assortment of brunch dishes. Karlie had always been one for going all out.

"Thanks," Leia said, picking up the glass and taking a sip. The cool, citrusy taste settled on her tongue, but it didn't ease the knot in her stomach. "How've you been?"

Karlie's eyes sparkled as she launched into a story about a recent trip she'd taken, her words tumbling over one another in her usual enthusiastic way. Leia nodded along, trying to stay present, but her mind kept drifting back to last night—waking up next to Taylor, their quiet confessions, and the promise they made to each other. 

But it wasn't just last night weighing on Leia. As Karlie talked, Leia felt something else building inside her - something that had been sitting under the surface for too long. It had taken her a while to build up the courage to ask the question that had been haunting her for months, but now that they were sitting here, she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Why didn't you reach out?"

Karlie frowned, looking confused at Leia interrupting her mid-sentence.

"Reach out about what?"

Leia set her glass down, her hands suddenly clammy.

"When everything with Dylan happened. When it was all over the tabloids... when those photos were released." Her voice cracked slightly, but she pushed through. "You never called."

"Leia, I... I didn't know what to say. I had no idea you were going through that with Dylan."

"You didn't know? Karlie, it was everywhere. Everyone knew I was spiralling."

Karlie reached across the table, placing a hand on Leia's, but Leia pulled back, the gesture only fuelling the fire burning in her chest.

"I saw the photos, yeah," Karlie continued, her voice quieter now. "But I didn't know what was happening between you two. I thought... I thought you were just having a rough patch. I didn't know it was as bad as it was."

Leia clenched her jaw, her fingers tightening around her mimosa glass.

"A rough patch? Karlie, I was borderline becoming an addict. Everyone in your 'Scooter Braun' circle knew I was using. It wasn't just a 'rough patch.'"

"Yeah, so I'd heard bits from Scooter but like, I didn't know," Karlie repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't know how bad it was."

Leia shook her head, feeling the weight of betrayal settle heavier on her chest. "How could you not know? Everyone knew. And those photos... those photos that outed me could have ruined me."

Karlie's eyes darted away, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her napkin. Leia's stomach tightened. Something was wrong. She could feel it.

"You didn't know... who released them, did you?" Karlie asked cautiously.

The words hit Leia like a punch to the gut. Her heart stopped. She hadn't known, not for sure. She had suspected Dylan, but she doubted he'd have even been that smart. But now, seeing the way Karlie's face paled and the way her voice wavered, something clicked.

"No," Leia said slowly, her voice low and dangerous. "I didn't know. Do you?"

Karlie hesitated, but the guilt in her eyes told Leia everything she needed to know.

"Karlie," Leia pressed, her voice trembling with anger. "Who released the photos?"

"It was... Scooter's team. I guess? He kind of told me a while ago. I didn't know what to do with it."

Leia's blood turned to ice. For a moment, she couldn't breathe. She felt like the world had tilted on its axis, everything spinning out of control. What the fuck was Karlie saying?

"Yeah. Dylan had them, and... well, Dylan gave the photos to Scooter. Scooter was the one who leaked them to the tabloids. I'm so sorry, Leia. I didn't know until after it happened. I swear I didn't."

Leia stared at her, disbelief flooding her chest. It couldn't be true. But as she looked at Karlie, at the way she couldn't meet Leia's gaze, the truth settled in, heavy and suffocating. It all made sense now. The sudden leak, the way it had been timed perfectly to cause maximum damage to her career, her image. It wasn't just an accident. It had been orchestrated. And Karlie had known. Maybe not at the start, but she had known.

"How long?" Leia asked, her voice trembling. "How long have you known?"

Karlie's lip quivered. "The night after they leaked."

She shook her head, reaching out for Leia, but Leia recoiled, the chair scraping against the floor as she stood abruptly. Heads turned to face them, a few small murmurs being exchanged as other patrons recognised either one or both of the celebrities in the argument. 

"Leia, please," Karlie begged. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

Leia's chest tightened, her hands trembling with anger. "You didn't mean for it to happen, but it did. And you did nothing."

She turned on her heel, her feet moving before her mind could catch up. She needed to get out of there, away from Karlie, away from the lies and the betrayal. The weight of the past few months crashed down on her, suffocating her, making it hard to breathe.

As she stepped outside, the warm breeze hit her face, but it didn't calm her like she had hoped. 

Leia's phone buzzed in her pocket, but she ignored it, her vision blurry with unshed tears. She felt raw, exposed, like the wound she had been carrying for so long had been ripped open all over again.

Warm hands grappled her shoulder, pushing her forwards - gently but firmly. 

"Head down," Azul murmured in her ear, covering her head with his hands as he rushed her into the car before any of the paparazzi were able to take any close photos of her. 

Leia didn't resist as Azul shoved her into the backseat, slamming the door behind her. The car roared to life and they were moving before she could even buckle up.

Leaning her head against the tinted window, an unfamiliar emptiness gnawed at her heart. She stared out blankly at the city passing by, the vibrant window-fronts and bustling people nothing more than a colourful blur.

"Miss Hudson," Azul's voice broke through the dreadful silence, "Do you want me to drive you home or...?"

"Can we just... drive?"

Azul nodded, his lips in a thin line as he held himself back from asking what was wrong. He didn't want to cross that line yet, not when he'd only just started working for her. Leia moved, burrowing her head in her hands as she tried to calm herself down.

When she finally pulled her hands away, her phone lit up with a message from Taylor.

How was brunch? Call me when you're done. I miss you.

Leia's heart clenched. Taylor didn't know yet—about Scooter, about Karlie, about the betrayal that had just unraveled in front of her. But she would. She'd have to tell her - if not now, but certainly soon.

Leia stared at the message for a long time before finally typing out a response.

Brunch was okay. I'll explain later. 

______

As soon as Leia got back, she thanked Azul and headed up into her rental apartment building in the hopes that Georgie was in. Before she'd even knocked on the door, she could hear the familiar bark of Tate coming from inside. It brought a small smile to her face, but even Tate's excitement couldn't lift the dark cloud that had settled over her heart.

The door flew open before she could even knock, and there was Georgie, her bright eyes filled with warmth as she held the door wide open. Leia smiled weakly, trying to keep it together, but the moment she saw Georgie standing there, everything inside her broke. She couldn't pretend, couldn't act like she was okay. Not here.

"Leia?" Georgie asked, her smile faltering as she noticed the tears brimming in Leia's eyes.

Before Leia could respond, Tate barreled toward her, his tail wagging wildly as he jumped up, trying to reach her. She bent down, burying her face in his fur, her shoulders shaking as the first sob broke free. Tate licked her face, confused but eager to offer comfort in the only way he knew how.

"Leia!" Georgie's voice was suddenly right there, and then her arms were around Leia, pulling her into a tight embrace and pulling her inside the apartment, closing the door gently behind her without letting go. "Hey, hey... What's going on? What happened?"

Leia clung to her sister, her breath hitching as she tried to speak. But the words wouldn't come. She just shook her head, unable to even begin explaining the whirlwind of betrayal and anger that had swallowed her whole.

Tate trotted along beside them as Georgie lead her sister towards the couch, the big dog nudging Leia's leg with his nose as if to remind her that he was still there.

"Sit down," Georgie said softly, her voice full of concern as she rubbed Leia's back. "You're scaring me. What's wrong?"

Leia took a few deep, shaky breaths, wiping at her tear-streaked face. Her chest ached from holding it all in, but now that she was here, she didn't have to hold back anymore. The words came out in a rush.

"Karlie," Leia whispered, her voice cracking. "She knew."

Georgie frowned, sitting down beside her. "Knew what?"

Leia's throat felt tight as she tried to form the words. "She knew about who leaked the photos. The ones of me kissing Lauren. She knew who leaked them, and never said anything."

Georgie's eyes widened, her hand stilling on Leia's back. "Wait... what? What do you mean?"

Leia closed her eyes, pressing her palms to her face as she let out a broken sob. "It was Scooter Braun, Georgie. Scooter and Dylan. Dylan gave the photos to Scooter, and Scooter leaked them to the tabloids."

Georgie stared at her, her face a mixture of shock and anger. 

"No. No, that can't be right. Are you sure? Did Karlie say that?"

Leia nodded, her tears flowing freely now. 

"She told me at brunch today. She said she found out the night after it happened but didn't know how to tell me. She just... she kept it to herself."

"Leia... she's known that for months?" Georgie's voice was sharp, incredulous. "She knew for months and didn't tell you? That's insane!"

Leia let out a shaky breath, feeling like she was finally beginning to deflate, the weight of the secret she had carried for so long lifting just a little. They sat there for a moment, in silence, Leia's head resting on her sister's shoulder. She felt like a child again, seeking comfort in the only place that had ever felt truly safe—her family. 

For a brief moment, the world outside didn't matter. It was just her, Georgie, and Tate curled up at her feet. Eventually, Georgie pulled back and looked Leia in the eyes. 

"You need to tell someone, Leia. You can't keep this to yourself. Taylor, your friends... everyone needs to know."

"I don't know if I can. I don't want to escalate things."

Georgie's eyebrows furrowed. 

"Escalate things? Leia, this is serious. They violated your privacy, your life. If you don't say something, they'll just get away with it. And Karlie... if she's still friends with Scooter after this, she's not someone you can trust."

Leia wiped her eyes, her fingers shaking. 

"I know. I know you're right. But... if this comes out, it's going to be a mess. I don't want people to think I'm just trying to get revenge or drag this back into the media. I'm trying to move on."

Georgie's expression softened. 

"You don't have to decide anything right now. But promise me you won't keep this to yourself. You've got people who love you! Taylor, me, mom and dad, your friends. Don't try to handle this alone."

Leia nodded, though she wasn't sure if she really meant it. The idea of telling Taylor, of dragging her into this mess when they were already dealing with so much, made her stomach turn. Taylor was already under enough pressure with the public scrutiny, the constant speculation. The last thing Leia wanted was to add more fuel to the fire.

Georgie sighed and stood up, moving toward the kitchen. 

"I'm going to make us some tea. I think we both need it."

As she sat there, Leia's phone buzzed again. She glanced down, half-expecting it to be another message from Taylor. But it wasn't. It was a text from Karlie.

Leia, please don't shut me out. I'm so sorry. Can we talk?

Leia stared at the message, her stomach churning. She didn't know how to respond. She wasn't even sure if she could respond.

For a long moment, she just sat there, her heart pounding in her chest, the weight of the betrayal still pressing down on her. Then, with a deep breath, she locked her phone and set it aside.

She just was so tired.

_____

The elevator chimed softly as it reached Taylor's floor. As Leia stepped out, she was met by Mark, who gave her a reassuring nod. He led her down the hallway to Taylor's door, and with a quick, subtle knock, he opened it, letting Leia in.

"Hey," Leia called out as she stepped inside, glancing around at the familiar, comforting decor of Taylor's apartment.

"Hey, Leia!" Taylor's voice floated out from the living room, cheerful and light, though Leia could hear a hint of exhaustion beneath the surface. Taylor emerged from the kitchen, a warm smile on her face.

The smile faltered slightly as she took in Leia's appearance... her red were still eyes and she could easily see the tension in her shoulders but Taylor quickly masked her concern with a welcoming hug. 

"I'm so glad you're here. I've missed you."

Leia hugged Taylor back, clinging to her just a bit longer than usual. 

"I missed you too," she said, her voice catching slightly. "Even though it's been like, twelve hours."

Taylor chuckled at that, knowing that they were both becoming very clingy. She wasn't sure about getting close to someone again but Leia just was different - Taylor knew Leia would never do anything to hurt her.

"So," Taylor said, settling onto the couch and patting the seat beside her. "How was brunch with Karlie?"

Leia forced a smile, trying to sound casual. "It was... okay. We talked a lot about what's been going on lately."

Taylor looked at her, her eyes searching for any sign of distress. 

"Just okay? You seem a little off."

"Yeah," Leia took a deep breath, carefully crafting her words. "It was fine. You know, just catching up and all that."

Taylor studied her for a moment, then nodded. 

"I'm glad you two had a chance to talk. It must have been nice to see her."

Leia's heart clenched. She wanted to tell Taylor everything - about Karlie's betrayal, the truth about Scooter and Dylan, how much it had hurt her. But the words caught in her throat. She didn't want to burden Taylor with more drama, not after everything Taylor had been through - and was currently going through.

They settled back onto the couch, sipping their tea in a comfortable silence. Leia tried to let herself relax, to enjoy this moment of peace. But even as Taylor's presence provided some comfort, Leia couldn't shake the feeling that she was living a lie. 

"You know, if you ever need to take a break from everything, just let me know. We can go away for a bit, get some distance from all this."

Leia looked at her, the sincerity in Taylor's offer touching her deeply. 

"That sounds nice. I'll think about it."

Taylor gave her a small, supportive smile, brushing a stray hair off Leia's face and letting her hand linger for a moment longer than necessary.

"I love you."

"I love you too."