Leia wasn't sure how long she had laid there, her limbs wrapped tightly into a ball as she sobbed until there was no more liquid left in her body.

The sun had long since set when Azul let himself into the apartment, his heavy footsteps echoing in the eerie silence. He called out Leia's name, concern etched in his deep voice, but received no response. 

Leia remained silent, curled up on her ground, her face buried in her arms. Maybe if she didn't answer, he'd go away. Maybe if she didn't answer, she could just pretend this never happened and fade out of existence. She heard Tate's nails clicking on the hardwood floor, no doubt leading Azul straight to her.

He found her curled up on the bedroom floor, her body wracked with silent sobs. The sight of her, so small and broken, made his heart clench. 

"Hey," he said softly, his voice laced with concern. "What's going on?"

She stirred at the sound of his voice, lifting her head just enough to meet his gaze. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, her cheeks stained with dried tears. The usual spark in her eyes was gone, replaced by a dull, hollow look that spoke volumes about her emotional state.

Leia didn't respond to his words, her body trembling with the effort to hold back fresh tears. Azul's gaze swept the room, taking in the rumpled bedsheets, the discarded tissues, and finally landing on the nightstand. His sharp intake of breath told Leia he'd spotted the remnants of white powder.

"Oh, Leia," he breathed, disappointment and worry evident in his tone. "What have you done?"

"It doesn't matter," she croaked, her voice raw from crying. "Nothing matters anymore."

Azul knelt beside her, his large frame dwarfing her curled-up form. With gentle hands, he helped her sit up, leaning her against the bed for support. He took in the disheveled state of her clothes, the tangled mess of her hair, and the slight tremor in her hands.

"This isn't what's going to happen here," he said firmly, his eyes flicking to the nightstand. "That's the last time you're going to touch that shit. Do you understand me?"

The bedside lamp clicked on, bathing the room in a soft, amber glow that felt harsh against Leia's sensitive eyes.

"Look at me," Azul commanded, his voice firm but not unkind.

His jaw was clenched, a muscle ticking in his cheek as he fought to control his emotions. Leia suddenly understood why others tended to give her a wide berth when they stepped too close to her on a red carpet, or why Dylan had been so quick to back down when Azul showed up.

In this light, he was truly fucking terrifying. He stood up, his imposing figure casting a shadow over her. 

"I'm staying with you until you sober up," he declared, his tone leaving no room for argument. "And then we're going to talk about what happened."

Leia didn't respond, her gaze fixed on some distant point only she could see. Azul sighed, running a hand over his freshly cut hair. He moved around the room, opening windows to let in fresh air, gathering water and crackers from the kitchen. All the while, he kept a watchful eye on Leia, noting every tremor, every ragged breath.

The crushing weight of her emotions remained, but the chemical high faded, leaving her feeling hollow and wrung out. She became acutely aware of the gritty feeling in her eyes, the ache in her muscles from hours spent curled up on the floor... the haunted look in Azul's eyes as he sat on the lounger, his eyes never leaving hers and his hands never leaving the bottle of water in his hands.

"I really messed up, didn't I?" Leia whispered, her voice barely audible.

Azul's expression softened slightly. "Yeah, you did. But we're going to fix this."

Leia looked at him - really, really looked at him. He had a crinkle by his eyes that weren't usually there and she hadn't notice the fact he wasn't in his usual all black gear. He seemed almost more casual, a baggy grey sweater sitting on his frame and a pair of black cargos that she'd never seen him wear before. It was weird to see him almost look... normal?

"Where were you tonight?"

"A bad dinner," Azul muttered, sighing before he looked back at Leia. "When we did we cross a professional boundary?"

"I think we crossed that a while ago," Leia mused, a soft smile on her face. "What did you fight with Riven about?"

Azul's smile dropped slightly, and his gaze dropped to the water bottle that he was fidgeting with in his hands. Leia's smile also fell, a gut feeling that the very reason he'd argued with Riven was also the reason that he'd turned up at her apartment on his night off - as if he had a gut feeling that she was going to do something reckless.

"One of Taylor's guys phoned me, and Riv was annoyed that I had brought my work phone with me," Azul murmured after a moment. "I guess it's for the best or you'd still be lying on the floor and Tate wouldn't have had his mid-evening snack. We'll be fine, he knows that too."

She felt raw, exposed, but knew she owed Azul an explanation. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Taylor and I... we broke up. It's over."

"I heard," Azul replied, no judgement in his tone. "And I know why, now, too. Adrian called me on the way here - I think Riven texted him to say I needed to know everything."

"Everything?" Leia asked, her voice almost childlike. She paused, struggling to find the words. "She found that coke in my drawer. Dylan gave it to me back in July... and I should have thrown it away, but I... I kept it. And then we fought about Joe, and coming out, and I knew that I had to call things off because of Dylan but I just didn't... I just didn't expect her to not fight for us."

When she finished, Azul was quiet for a long moment, allowing her to sit in her feelings for a moment. He was her security - not her therapist, and she appreciated that about him. Finally, he leaned forward, his expression serious.

"Leia, listen to me. What happened with Taylor and what's happening with Dylan... that's something we're going to have to work out. But this?" He gestured to the nightstand where the cocaine had been. "This stops now. Do you understand?"

Leia nodded weakly, shame burning in her chest.

"I know you're hurting," Azul continued, his voice softening slightly. "But this isn't the answer. You've worked too hard, come too far to throw it all away like this - and if that means I have to come literally everywhere with you, then just say the words."

Tears welled up in Leia's eyes again. "I don't know what to do," she admitted, her voice small and broken. "About this, about Georgie and those photos, about Dylan and just all of this..."

Azul leaned forward, his dark eyes intense as he locked gazes with Leia. The soft lamplight cast shadows across his face, accentuating the sharp angles of his jawline and the furrow of concern etched between his brows.

"Alright, listen up. We're laying down some ground rules right now, before this spirals any further out of control." His voice was low and firm, brooking no argument. "From this moment on, Dylan is never to be left alone with you. Not for a second, not for a minute, not even if hell freezes over and pigs start flying. I don't care if it's a red carpet event, a studio session, or a quick tampon run to Walgreens - I will be at your side every second of every appearance and event."

Leia opened her mouth to speak, but Azul held up a hand, silencing her.

"I'm not finished. When we're at events, I'll be your shadow. I'll wait outside bathroom cubicles, I'll sit between you and Dylan in cars, I'll be your human shield at every award show and pap walk. If he so much as breathes in your direction when he isn't supposed to, I'll know about it."

He paused, making sure Leia was following.

"At red carpet events," Azul went on, his voice taking on a tactical edge, "we'll develop a system of signals. A touch to your left earring if you need an immediate extraction, a specific phrase if you need me to create a distraction. We'll drill these until they're second nature."

Leia nodded, a flicker of relief passing over her face. She chewed her lip for a moment, her gaze drifting to the framed photo of her and Georgie on the nightstand.

"Azul," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "if this goes south... if Dylan follows through on his threats... everyone's going to find out about Georgie and Niall. I know you've done your best but you can't be in two places at once - not if I'm going to be with Dylan like most of my time now."

"You want me to find someone for Georgie? You know, that's not a bad idea," he said finally, nodding slowly. "In fact, it's probably overdue. Your sister's been living a pretty high-profile life by association for a while now. We'll need someone young enough to blend in with Georgie's college crowd, but experienced enough to handle any potential threats. Someone discreet, who can keep their mouth shut about Niall and any other... sensitive information."

Leia watched him, hope blooming in her chest for the first time in what felt like ages. "You have someone in mind?"

Azul shook his head. "Not exactly, but I know where to start looking. I've got contacts in the industry - ex-military, former intelligence operatives. Some guys I trained with before - I'll do the rounds."

Leia nodded, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. "Thank you, Azul. I don't know what I'd do without you or how to thank you enough."

"You can start by ordering me a pizza - I didn't even get to eat my main course."

____

"Why the fuck did you break up with Taylor, and why am I heading this through Gigi before you?"

"Good morning, Georgie, great to see you," Leia muttered back, ignoring her sister as she continued to scroll on her phone. 

Georgie stood in the doorway, her blue eyes blazing with a mixture of concern and frustration. She was still dressed in her travel clothes - a rumpled NYU sweatshirt and leggings - her hair pulled back in a messy bun. The tension in her shoulders was palpable, a stark contrast to the relaxed demeanor she usually exuded when entering the apartment with Niall.

Azul was sitting in the dining table across the room, casting a concerned glance up for a second before he continued typing on his laptop and writing notes. He'd promised Leia that he'd stick around for a while, knowing that she didn't want to be left alone right now - although they certainly both hadn't expected Niall and Georgie to come back earlier.

Niall was hovering awkwardly at the door, slowly slipping his shoes of and looking over at Azul who refused to meet his eyes. Just because Leia knew it wasn't his fault that his iCloud got hacked didn't mean that Azul was in any mood to have pleasantries with the man when he was partially involved in this chaotic saga.

"Don't 'good morning' me, Leia," Georgie snapped, her voice rising. "I wake up to about a million texts from Camila asking if you're okay, and then Gigi calls me in a panic because apparently you and Taylor had some big blowout? What the hell is going on?"

"It's complicated, Georgie," Leia said, her voice low and strained. "I can't... I can't talk about it right now. Yes, we broke up."

Georgie's eyes narrowed, her gaze sweeping over Leia's disheveled appearance. "Can't or won't? Jesus, Leia, you look like hell. What's going on with you?"

The words hit Leia like a physical blow. She flinched, her eyes darting to Azul for a split second before returning to her sister.

"Nothing's going on. I'm fine," Leia replied. "Things just weren't going to work with me and Taylor, and that's between us."

"Bullshit," Georgie spat, her voice rising. "You're not fine. You're hiding something, and I want to know what it is. Is it drugs? Is that why you broke up with Taylor?"

Okay, what was with everyone and their low blows? Leia thought, holding back a snarky comment.

Did everyone really think that little of her that they thought she'd been secretly using for months? Sure, last night had been a mistake - but it had been the first mistake in a really, really long time.

Leia stood up abruptly, her phone clattering to the floor. "You want to know what's going on? Fine! I broke up with Taylor because I had to. Because there are things happening that you can't possibly understand!"

"Then make me understand!" Georgie shouted, stepping closer.

"You're a fucking CHILD, Georgie!" Leia snapped back, Niall moving forward with a scowl on his face as he went to stand beside Georgie. He might be friends with Leia, but he wasn't liking the way she was speaking to his girlfriend.

"I'm sorry but I really hope to god I've just misheard what you just called me or-"

"Or what?" Leia snapped, her temper flaring as she looked at her little sister. "You'll cry to mum and dad who can't be bothered to even visit? You'll move out of the apartment I pay for? Drive away in the car I bought?"

Georgie recoiled as if she'd been slapped, her face flushing with a mixture of hurt and anger. 

"Is that what you really think of me? That I'm just some freeloader living off your success?"

"No - you're not a freeloader - you're a kid. You're a kid that has NO idea about the real world outside of this bubble we've all built for you," Leia spat, her heart clenching as she saw the hurt on Georgie's face. "So stay out of my business and I'll stay out of yours."

Harsh, Leia thought to herself. But necessary.

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, broken only by the soft tapping of Azul's fingers on his laptop keys. Niall stood awkwardly between the sisters, his gaze darting between them, unsure of how to diffuse the tension.

It wasn't Georgie's fault, not really.

Her sister might have taken and sent those photos but she'd done so in a moment of trust and intimacy. It wasn't her fault that some fucker had sold them on to Dylan, or that Dylan was now using them to blackmail Leia. It wasn't her fault that she was genuinely in love with Niall, and the boy had been the target of a sophisticated hacker.

It would kill Georgie to know that this was the real reason Leia had lashed out at Taylor and called things off. It killed Leia to have to break up with Taylor and not tell her why. It also killed Leia to know that Taylor had lashed back at her without the blackmail threat hanging over her head.

How did you explain to someone that your entire world was falling apart, because of something they did, without making them feel bad?

"You wouldn't understand what any of this is like!" Leia shot back again, her voice cracking. "You get to have a normal life, Georgie. You get to date Niall without the whole world watching your every move. You get to go to college and make mistakes without it ending up on the front page of every tabloid. Do you have any idea what it's like to have your entire existence scrutinised and judged every single day?"

Azul cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.

"Maybe we should all take a moment to cool down," he suggested, his deep voice calm but authoritative. "Leia's been through a lot in the past 24 hours."

Georgie's gaze snapped to Azul, her eyes narrowing.

"And you know what's going on, don't you? Is that why you're here?"

Azul met her gaze steadily. "I'm here to ensure Leia's safety and well-being. That's my job."

Georgie's eyes flashed with hurt and anger. 

"Your job? Is that all we are to you, Azul? A job?" She turned back to Leia, her voice rising. "And you - you think I don't understand? You think I don't know what it's like to live in your shadow, to have every move I make scrutinized because I'm Leia Hudson's little sister?"

Leia flinched, feeling the sting of Georgie's words. She opened her mouth to respond, but Niall stepped forward, his hand on Georgie's shoulder.

"Hey, let's all take a breath," he said, his Irish lilt soft but firm. "Azul is right... This isn't helping anyone."

Leia's gaze flickered to Niall, a mixture of gratitude and guilt washing over her. He had no idea that he was at the centre of this storm, that his hacked photos were the reason for her current predicament.

"You know what? Fine. Keep your secrets," Georgie said, her voice low and trembling with emotion. "I thought we were closer than this, Leia. I thought you trusted me."

She turned on her heel and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Niall hesitated for a moment, looking between Leia and the closed door.

"I should..." he started, gesturing towards where Georgie had gone.

Leia nodded, unable to meet his eyes. "Go. Make sure she's okay."

As Niall left, the apartment fell into an oppressive silence. Leia slumped back onto the couch, burying her face in her hands. She felt the cushion dip as Azul sat beside her, his presence solid and reassuring.

"That could have gone better," he said softly. Leia let out a bitter laugh.

"You think? God, Azul, what am I doing? I'm pushing away everyone I care about," she whispered, her voice thick with regret. "I shouldn't have said those things to her."

Azul sat down beside her, his presence solid and reassuring. "No, you shouldn't have. But you're under a lot of stress right now. We need to focus on our next steps."

Leia looked up at him, her eyes red-rimmed and tired. 

"What next steps? Dylan has me cornered. If I don't do what he wants, he'll release those photos of Georgie and Niall. If I do what he wants, I lose everything I've worked for. I've already lost Taylor."

Azul wasn't sure how to comfort her.

____

Leia sat in Tree's office, feeling small and exposed under the harsh fluorescent lights. The leather chair creaked as she shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact with both Tree and Riven as the two bickered between themselves.

Leia wasn't sure why she had been surprised when Taylor hadn't shown to her and Riven's meeting with Tree. It should have been expected - why would she want to show up to listen to her publicist discuss how they handle their break-ups over NDAs and gag orders?

Would anyone really want that?

She couldn't stop replaying her fight with Georgie, the hurt in her sister's eyes haunting her. And Taylor... God, Taylor. The memory of their last conversation, filled with anger and tears, made her heart clench painfully.

As Tree spoke, Leia's gaze drifted to the empty chair where Taylor should have been sitting. It felt wrong, discussing their breakup like it was just another PR problem to solve. But then again, wasn't that exactly what it had become? It wasn't like they needed an announcement - no-one even really knew they'd existed. Leia would become nothing in Taylor's life - figuratively and literally at this rate.

"Leia? Are you listening to our approach to the situation?" Tree's sharp tone cut through her thoughts.

Leia flinched at the word 'situation', as if her entire relationship with Taylor could be reduced to such a clinical term. She glanced at Riven, who was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable.

"Yeah, sorry," Leia mumbled, forcing herself to focus. "What were you saying?"

Tree sighed, exchanging a look with Riven. 

"I was saying that we need to discuss the terms of your NDA. Obviously, the usual clauses about not discussing the relationship or any personal details about Taylor will apply. But given the... unique circumstances of your breakup, we may need to add some additional provisions."

Leia's stomach churned at the mention of 'unique circumstances'. If only Tree and Taylor knew the half of it. She glanced at Riven again, silently pleading for support, but his face remained impassive, as if this was something he was pissed off at her for - even though she knew that wasn't fair.

"What kind of additional provisions?" Leia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tree leaned forward, her eyes sharp. "We need to ensure that there's no mention of any... substances that may or may not have been involved when you've been near or around Taylor."

Great, so Taylor had likely told her entire team that she thought Leia was back on crack. Fucking fantastic.

"And absolutely no discussion of Taylor's personal life or any conversations you may have had about her sexuality or public image."

As they continued to discuss the minutiae of managing her breakup, Leia felt increasingly disconnected from the conversation. This was her life they were dissecting, her pain they were trying to sanitise for public consumption.

"And what about future interactions?" Tree was saying. "We need to be prepared for how to handle run-ins at events, award shows..."

Leia's chest tightened at the thought. How was she supposed to face Taylor again, knowing what she'd done? Knowing that she'd thrown away their relationship because of Dylan's threats?

"I can't do this," Leia suddenly blurted out, her voice cracking. Both Tree and Riven turned to her, startled by her outburst.

"Leia-" Riven began, but she cut him off.

"No, I mean it. I can't... I can't sit here and pretend that this is just some PR exercise. This is my life. This is Taylor's life. And we're sitting here talking about it like it's just another headline to manage."

Tree's eyes narrowed, her professional demeanor slipping for a moment to reveal a flash of irritation. She leaned forward, her manicured nails tapping a staccato rhythm on the polished mahogany desk.

"Leia," she began, her voice low and measured, "I understand this is difficult for you. But from a professional standpoint, this is absolutely necessary. We're not just managing a headline; we're preserving the integrity of a carefully crafted narrative."

She gestured to a stack of glossy magazines on her desk, each featuring Taylor and Joe's smiling faces.

"This relationship with Joe isn't just about Taylor's personal life. It's about her image, her brand, her entire public persona. We've invested almost years now into building this narrative. It's part of her story now, woven into her music, her performances, her interactions with fans. We can't risk that unraveling because of... well, because of you."

The room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in as the full impact of what she was being asked to do hit her.

"From a personal standpoint, Leia, you owe this to Taylor. After what happened, after breaking her heart..."

The words hung in the air, heavy and accusatory. Leia felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She wanted to scream, to tell them the truth about Dylan, about the blackmail, about why she had really ended things with Taylor. But the words caught in her throat, trapped behind the wall of secrecy she had built to protect Georgie.

"Tree, that is absolutely uncalled for," Riven spat, finally breaking his silence. "I am your friend, but I will not let you sit here and lecture my client-"

"I know you care about her, Leia. I've seen how you look at her, how she lights up around you. But sometimes, caring means doing what's best for the other person, even if it hurts you."

"Tree, enough!" Riven snapped, infuriated that she had continued to speak over him and try to guilt Leia more. "I told you to stop."

Leia felt as if she were suffocating, caught between Tree's cold pragmatism and Riven's protective anger. The weight of her secrets pressed down on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

Riven opened his mouth to speak again, his face flushed with anger, when a shrill ring cut through the air. Leia jumped, her hand automatically reaching for her phone. As she pulled it from her pocket, the screen lit up, displaying a name that made her blood run cold: Dylan.

Tree's sharp eyes caught the caller ID before Leia could hide it. Her gaze snapped up, locking onto Leia with an intensity that made the young singer want to shrink into her chair. The publicist's lips pressed into a thin, disapproving line, her earlier sympathy evaporating like morning dew under a harsh sun.

"Dylan," she said, her voice dripping with barely concealed disdain and suspicion. The name hung in the air like a toxic cloud, poisoning the already strained atmosphere. Leia felt her heart rate spike, her palms growing clammy as panic clawed at her throat.

The room fell into a sudden, oppressive silence. The accusation in Tree's eyes was clear, unspoken assumptions blooming in her mind.

"I think we're done here," Tree said, her tone clipped and final. Her eyes, usually warm and understanding, now held a glacial chill that sent a shiver down Leia's spine. "I'll have the final NDAs sent over for your signature later today."

She stood abruptly, smoothing out non-existent wrinkles in her impeccably tailored suit.

"I have another meeting to attend to. Riven, please see yourselves out."

"Tree, you can't possibly think-" he began, but Tree cut him off with a sharp gesture.

"What I think," she said, her voice low and dangerous, "is that I have a client to protect. And right now, that means ending this meeting."

Leia stood on shaky legs, feeling as if the ground beneath her feet had suddenly shifted. The phone in her hand felt like a burning coal, Dylan's name still flashing on the screen like an accusation. Leia fumbled with her phone, her fingers trembling as she tried to silence it.

She could feel Tree's eyes boring into her, could almost hear the wheels turning in the publicist's head as she jumped to all the wrong conclusions.

As Riven guided her towards the door, Tree's voice stopped them one last time.

"Oh, and Leia?" She paused, her gaze cold and calculating. "I suggest you think very carefully about who you choose to associate with in the future. Some choices have consequences that can't be undone."

"Leia," Riven said softly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Let's go."

As they made their way to the door, Leia couldn't help but cast one last glance at Tree. The woman's face was a mask of professional detachment, but her eyes... her eyes held a mixture of disappointment and something that looked unsettlingly like pity.

The door closed behind them with a soft click, leaving Leia feeling as if she'd just been exiled from a kingdom she never truly belonged to in the first place.

Riven guided her towards the elevator, his hand a steady presence on her back. As they waited for the doors to open, Leia's phone buzzed again in her hand. A text this time, from Dylan:

'See you at 8. First appearance together - I've booked us at that Nobu Downtown for dinner.'

"Fuck me," Leia breathed as the elevator doors closed. "Could this week possibly get any worse?"