Mars felt the familiar twinge of anxiety as she pulled the rental SUV into the venue's underground parking lot. Zaine was in the back seat, swinging his legs as he clutched his stuffed dinosaur. He had barely spoken on the flight, too wrapped up in his cartoons, but now that they were in New York, the nerves were setting in—for both of them.

She glanced back at him through the rearview mirror, her heart tightening. "You doing okay, bud?"

Zaine looked up, big green eyes peeking out from under the oversized headphones Mars had insisted he wear. "Is it loud in there?"

"Not where we're going," Mars promised, forcing a reassuring smile. "We're gonna hang out backstage with some really nice people. You'll be safe with me the whole time."

He gave a small, hesitant nod, hugging the dinosaur tighter. Mars turned off the car, took a deep breath, and ran a hand down her face. She had no idea how this night would go, but it was happening. She was finally introducing Zaine to Billie.

She got out of the car, opened the back door, and helped him out. "Ready, kiddo?" she asked softly.

Zaine shuffled his feet, looking up at her with a little frown. "What if she doesn't like me?"

Mars crouched down to his level, her voice gentle. "She's gonna love you, Z. I promise. And if you get scared, just hold my hand, okay?"

He gave her a tiny smile, reaching out to grab her hand. Mars squeezed it gently, her heart aching a bit at how small his hand felt in hers.

With Zaine safely by her side, Mars led him toward the backstage entrance. They were late—the show was already in full swing—and the vibrations of the music thrummed through the walls. But Mars was grateful for the timing. It gave them some space before the inevitable chaos of introductions.

After checking in with the security guards, Mars navigated the maze of hallways to the green room. Zaine clung tightly to her, his little hand warm and nervous in hers. The sound of Billie's voice singing echoed distantly, but the backstage area was quieter, more relaxed.

Mars knelt down to adjust Zaine's headphones one last time. "You okay, buddy?"

He nodded, but his grip didn't loosen. Mars gave him an encouraging smile and straightened up, pushing open the door to the green room.

Inside, Billie's dad, Patrick, and her brother, Finneas, were seated on a couch, chatting quietly as they waited for Billie to finish her set. The familiar sight of them made Mars's nerves settle—just a little. They looked up when she entered, and Patrick gave her a warm smile.

"Hey, Mars! Thought you weren't gonna make it," Patrick said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, ran a little late," Mars admitted, shifting slightly so they could see Zaine hiding behind her leg. "But we made it."

Zaine peeked around Mars cautiously, eyes wide as he took in the room. He squeezed Mars's hand tighter, his little body half-tucked behind her.

"Who's this?" Finneas asked with a grin, leaning forward slightly to get a better look at the boy.

"This," Mars said gently, "is Zaine." She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Zaine, these are some of Billie's family. That's her dad, Patrick, and her brother, Finneas."

Zaine stared at them for a moment, clutching his dinosaur. Then his gaze drifted over to Billie's armchair in the corner—and to her.

Billie stood there, just having slipped in from the stage, still slightly breathless from the last song. Her dark hair was damp with sweat, and she wore an oversized T-shirt and loose pants, a far cry from the larger-than-life presence she'd just had onstage. But it didn't matter. To Mars, Billie always looked like a dream.

Billie's blue eyes softened the moment they landed on Zaine. She gave him the kind of smile that made Mars's heart squeeze painfully tight.

"Hi, Zaine," Billie said gently, crouching to his eye level. "I'm Billie."

Zaine didn't move at first, watching her with the kind of cautious curiosity that Mars knew well. He stayed close, pressing against Mars's side. Billie didn't push, though. She just smiled and let the moment settle.

And then Zaine's gaze drifted to her left hand, where the fairy tattoos curled over her fingers. His little face lit up with a flicker of wonder.

"I like your drawing," he said, pointing at the fairies. "Mars has many drawings."

Billie's grin widened, her gaze flicking up to meet Mars's. "She does" she said, amused.

Zaine took a step closer, still holding his dinosaur. "Do you have other ones?" he asked shyly.

Billie's heart melted on the spot. "Yeah." She held out her hand, letting him inspect the intricate ink across her fingers. "I've got lots more."

Zaine gave a tiny, eager nod, and Mars exhaled a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Billie had such an easy way about her, and seeing her interact with Zaine—so gentle, so patient—only made Mars fall for her harder.

Just then, the door to the green room swung open, and Billie's mom ambled n, her arms full of snacks.

"Sorry, I had to grab more chips—" Maggie started, then froze when her eyes landed on Zaine.

The little boy's face lit up with immediate recognition. "Hi, Mama Maggie!" he chirped, running toward her with sudden enthusiasm.

Maggie's expression softened into a smile, setting down the snacks so she could crouch and scoop him into a warm hug. "Well, hello, sweetheart!" she said, her voice full of affection. "How's my little buddy?"

Mars stood stunned for a moment, watching as Zaine nestled happily into Maggie's arms. It still surprised her sometimes, how naturally Maggie had stepped into this role, helping Mars figure out the messy, complicated world of parenting.

Billie looked between them, her eyebrows raised in amusement. "Mama Maggie?" she echoed with a laugh.

Maggie gave a playful shrug, ruffling Zaine's curly hair. "He's been calling me that all week."

Zaine beamed up at her, and Mars felt the weight on her chest lift slightly. He was happy. He was okay.

Billie walked over to Mars, her hand brushing lightly against Mars's arm. "So... this is what you've been dealing with, huh?" she asked quietly, though her voice was filled with nothing but warmth.

Mars gave her a tired, lopsided grin. "Yeah. Pretty much."

Billie's eyes softened, and she leaned in closer, her voice just for Mars. "You're doing a good job, you know."

Mars's heart stumbled at the words. "Thanks," she murmured, her throat tight.

Zaine looked up from his spot in Maggie's arms, his eyes shining with excitement. "Can we have pancakes now?" he asked eagerly, clearly having moved on to his next big priority.

Everyone in the room chuckled, and Billie knelt down beside Zaine with a grin. "You like pancakes, huh?"

Zaine nodded enthusiastically. "Blueberry ones!"

Billie's laugh was soft and full of affection. "You've got good taste too, kid."

Maggie set him back on the ground, and Zaine scampered back to Mars's side, holding onto her leg as if to anchor himself. Mars ruffled his curls affectionately, relief washing over her in waves. It had gone better than she ever could have imagined.