The concert arena buzzed with pre-show energy as technicians hurried across the stage, finalizing cables and lights, while the opening act's last song echoed faintly through the hall. Backstage was its usual mix of organized chaos—crew members rushing to meet deadlines, tour managers barking orders, and musicians slipping into their final pre-show rituals. But amid the bustling commotion, one small force of nature was causing quite a scene: Zaine.

He was a streak of curly hair, little feet pounding against the polished floor as he darted around backstage, giggling mischievously. Zoe sprinted after him, determination on her face, her sneakers squeaking with every frantic step.

"Zaine! Come back here!" Zoe called out, breathless as she tried to keep up.

Zaine was too fast, slipping between amps and road cases, evading her grasp like a tiny, curly-headed ninja. Every time Zoe thought she had him cornered, he'd slip under a table or squeeze through a gap in the equipment, leaving her cursing under her breath.

"You're going to get us both in trouble, you little gremlin!" Zoe groaned, catching a brief glimpse of Zaine's grin before he disappeared again around a corner.

Zoe paused for a second, hands on her knees, panting. She knew better than to turn her back on him, but before she could catch her breath, Zaine bolted toward the edge of the stage—the actual stage—where a lift was preparing to send Billie rocketing up for her opening song.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Zoe gasped, taking off after him again. Her heart was in her throat as she saw him dart toward the center-stage platform, mere seconds before it was about to engage.

Zaine skidded to a stop just in front of the screen showing Billie, her silhouette illuminated by flickering lights as she waited in her launch pod. Her headphones were in, and she was bouncing lightly on her toes, mentally preparing for the countdown.

"I want my mommy," Zaine announced, standing still for the first time all night.

Zoe's heart raced as she reached him, practically diving to grab his tiny wrist before he could make a dash onto the lift. Relief washed over her as she knelt beside him, finally catching her breath.

"What did you just say?" Zoe asked, still panting, half-thinking she must've misheard him.

Zaine's wide green eyes blinked up at her, serious and insistent. "My mommy. I wanna see her."

Zoe stared at him, momentarily stunned. It wasn't the words themselves that caught her off-guard—it was how he said them, with the kind of certainty only a child can have. Zaine had never called Billie "mommy" before. He always called her Billie, with that cheeky grin of his. But now, here he was, standing still for the first time all night, demanding to see her with a title that changed everything.

Zoe felt a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth, despite the fact that she was still gasping for air. "Wow," she whispered, leaning closer to him. "Billie is gonna shit herself when she hears this."

Zaine's nose wrinkled, his little face twisting in disapproval. "Dats a bad word, Zoe."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Zoe said, laughing softly as she ruffled his curls. "But this? This is big, kid. You don't even know."

Zaine gave her a determined little nod, still clutching his stuffed dinosaur in one hand. "I wanna see mommy now."

Zoe shook her head in disbelief, still processing what had just happened. "Okay, okay. We can see her, but you can't go running onto the stage, alright? She'll be out in just a minute."

Zaine crossed his arms stubbornly, clearly not satisfied with the idea of waiting. "I want her now."

Zoe chuckled, scooping him up into her arms before he could make another run for it. "Come on, squirt. Let's go watch from the side."

She carried him back toward the edge of the stage, settling him onto her hip just as the crowd began to roar in anticipation. The lights dimmed, and the booming intro of Billie's first song filled the venue, sending a ripple of excitement through the audience.

Zaine's eyes widened in awe as Billie shot up from the lift, emerging onto the stage like a firework. Her oversized jersey fluttered in the wind from the stage fans, and the crowd erupted, screaming her name. Zaine clutched his dinosaur tighter, mesmerized by the sight of her.

"There she is," Zoe whispered into his ear, her voice gentle. "There's mommy."

Zaine's small face lit up with joy, and he reached out toward the stage as if he could grab her from where they stood. "Mommy!"

Zoe's heart melted at the sound. She hugged him closer, feeling unexpectedly emotional. It was one thing to know Billie and Mars were building a life together, but it was something else entirely to hear Zaine, in his innocent, five-year-old way, acknowledge that he had two parents who loved him more than anything.

When the first song ended, Billie glanced toward the side stage, catching sight of Zoe and Zaine in the shadows. She gave a quick wave, her smile bright and wide, before turning back to the crowd and launching into the song.

Zaine waved back enthusiastically, even though she probably couldn't see him from where she stood. "Mommy saw me!" he squealed, wriggling excitedly in Zoe's arms.

Zoe grinned. "Yeah, she did, buddy. She saw you."

The set flew by in a blur, and before long, Billie was wrapping up her encore. As the final notes echoed through the venue and the crowd erupted into applause, Billie gave one last wave before disappearing backstage.

The second she stepped off the stage, sweaty and exhilarated, Zaine launched himself out of Zoe's arms and straight into Billie's legs.

"Mommy!" he shouted, clinging to her tightly.

Billie froze, her heart skipping a beat at the sound of the word. She looked down at Zaine, her eyes wide with surprise, and then at Zoe, who gave her a knowing smirk.

"Did he just—?" Billie whispered, her voice catching in her throat.

Zoe crossed her arms, her grin smug. "Yup. You heard that right."

Tears welled in Billie's eyes as she knelt down to Zaine's level, wrapping him in a tight hug. "You called me mommy," she whispered, her voice cracking.

Zaine beamed up at her, his little hands clutching the front of her jersey. "Yeah. 'Cause you are."

Billie's heart felt like it might burst. She hugged him even tighter, pressing kisses to his curly head. "I love you so much, Zaine."

"I love you too, mommy," Zaine said, his voice muffled against her shoulder.

Later that night, after the show and the meet-and-greet, Billie lay on the couch in her dressing room, Zaine curled up on her chest. She held him close, brushing her fingers through his soft curls, still in awe of what had happened.

Zoe sat across from them, her legs propped up on a table, scrolling through her phone. "So, how's it feel?" she asked, glancing up with a teasing smile.

"How's what feel?" Billie murmured, not taking her eyes off Zaine.

"Being officially promoted to 'mommy.'"

Billie smiled, a soft, contented smile that felt like sunshine warming her from the inside. "It feels... perfect."

Zoe chuckled. "Mars is gonna freak when she hears this."

Billie's smile widened. "Yeah. She is."

She pressed another kiss to Zaine's head, her heart overflowing with love. This was her family—unexpected, imperfect, but absolutely perfect in every way that mattered. And she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

The end?