Mars decided to visit Billie during her brief break from touring, wanting to spend some uninterrupted time with her before heading back home to Zaine and Vera. The excitement of seeing Billie after weeks apart was quickly overshadowed by a strange tension in the air. Billie wasn't her usual playful self, and conversations between them were stilted—half sentences and lingering silences that felt heavier than Mars was used to.

They spent the night curled up in bed, but Mars could feel the distance, like Billie was physically there but her mind was somewhere else. Every time Mars tried to get her to talk, Billie would give short answers or change the subject. Mars tried not to press, hoping the walls Billie was building would come down on their own. They always did, eventually.

The next morning, Mars woke early, the glow of Billie's laptop screen catching her eye. Billie had left it open on the desk, probably by accident. Mars rubbed her eyes and stretched, heading toward the laptop to shut it off. As she reached for the screen, a tab caught her attention—abortion consultation.

Her stomach dropped. She stared at the words, her pulse quickening. There was no appointment confirmed, just an open webpage hovering between consideration and decision. Mars felt like the floor beneath her had crumbled.

A soft shuffle of footsteps broke the silence, and Billie stepped into the room. Her eyes immediately landed on the open laptop, and her entire body tensed. She moved quickly, slamming the screen shut with trembling hands.

"Mars, I can explain," Billie said, her voice cracking under the pressure.

Mars stood there, frozen, her mind spinning with emotions she couldn't quite pin down. Anger? Confusion? Betrayal? She felt them all swirling into a tight knot in her chest.

"You wanna abort our baby," Mars said, her voice hollow.

"No! Mars—" Billie started, panicking.

Mars took a step back, running a hand over her face as if that would somehow clear her thoughts. "It's okay. I get it—your body, your choice, right?" Her words were sharp, but her tone betrayed the deep hurt she was trying to suppress. She was doing her best to mask it, to be understanding, but it was slipping out despite her efforts.

Billie's breath hitched. "Mars, you don't understand. It's not—"

"Tell me what I need to fucking understand then!" Mars's voice rose, cracking under the weight of everything she felt, louder than she intended. It was the first time she'd ever raised her voice at Billie, and it felt foreign coming out of her mouth. The words lingered in the air like an open wound.

Billie flinched, her bottom lip quivering. She wasn't used to Mars being angry with her. Mars was always calm, her steady presence an anchor even when things got rough. But now? Now, Mars looked lost, hurt, and betrayed in a way Billie didn't know how to fix.

"Mars, please," Billie whispered, tears gathering in her eyes. "It's not that simple."

Mars pressed her palms against her temples, struggling to keep herself from spiraling. "Then tell me, Billie. Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you don't want this."

"It's not about wanting it or not!" Billie snapped, surprising even herself with the force of her words. "I just... I'm scared, okay? I wasn't ready for this. I thought I had more time to figure out my life, and now—" She stopped, her voice breaking as tears slid down her cheeks.

Mars's anger flickered, softened by the sight of Billie breaking down in front of her. "Babe..." she whispered, stepping closer but hesitating to touch her.

Billie wiped her face with the back of her hand, sniffling. "I love you, Mars. I swear I do. But you already have so much on your plate. Zaine, your career... I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want to be one more thing you have to carry."

Mars closed the distance between them, gently tilting Billie's chin up so their eyes met. "You're not a burden, and neither is this baby." Her voice was soft now, soothing like the way she always spoke to Billie when the world got too loud for her.

Billie leaned into Mars's touch, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. "I just... I didn't want to mess up your life, Mars. I know how hard things are already with Zaine."

Mars pulled Billie into her arms, holding her tightly. "You're not messing anything up. We'll figure this out, okay? Together." She kissed the top of Billie's head, rubbing small circles on her back. "You're not alone in this, love. I promise."

Billie clung to Mars like a lifeline, her tears soaking into Mars's hoodie. For a long moment, they stood there in silence, wrapped up in each other, breathing in sync.

"I don't know if I can do this, Mars," Billie whispered, her voice small and vulnerable.

Mars pressed her lips to Billie's temple. "You don't have to decide right now. But whatever you choose, I'll be with you. No matter what."

Billie exhaled a shaky breath, some of the tension easing from her body. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I was just... scared."

Mars cupped Billie's face, wiping away her tears with her thumbs. "It's okay, baby. I get scared too." She smiled softly, her heterochromic eyes warm and full of love. "We're gonna be okay. I promise."

Billie nodded, finally allowing herself to believe those words. In Mars's arms, the weight of the decision didn't feel as heavy. Maybe they weren't ready for this, but with Mars by her side, she knew they could figure it out—together.

Later that night, they sat on the balcony, the cool breeze carrying the distant hum of the city below. Billie rested her head on Mars's shoulder, their fingers laced together.

"What if we're really bad at this?" Billie asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mars chuckled softly. "We're already parenting Z, aren't we? And he hasn't run away screaming yet."

Billie laughed, the sound light and genuine for the first time that day. "Yeah, but this is different."

Mars kissed the back of Billie's hand. "Maybe. But we'll learn as we go. We've got each other, and that's what matters."

Billie squeezed Mars's hand, feeling a little braver with every second that passed. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby." Mars smiled, pulling Billie closer. "And hey... if we can survive Zaine's obsession with dino nuggets, we can survive anything."

Billie snorted, playfully nudging Mars with her shoulder. "You're an idiot."

"Yeah, but I'm your idiot." Mars grinned, kissing Billie's forehead.