Cat walked through the door, dragging her suitcase behind her. She didn't expect much—just a quiet evening with Jade before collapsing into bed. But the moment she stepped inside, she was greeted by a burst of cheers.

"Surprise!" Tori and Andre yelled in unison, popping tiny confetti cannons that scattered colourful paper all over her and Jade's living room.

Cat blinked, her mouth falling open as she took in the sight of her friends & girlfriend standing there with wide grins and a small spread of cupcakes and balloons on the coffee table. "What—what are you guys doing here?"

"Celebrating your birthday, duh!" Tori said, bouncing over to give her a hug. "We weren't about to let you come home without a proper welcome."

Andre grinned, holding up a cupcake with a single lit candle. "Make a wish, superstar."

Cat laughed, her exhaustion momentarily giving way to genuine delight. She set her suitcase aside and walked over. "You guys are the best. I didn't expect this at all."

"Good," Jade said from the couch, her arms crossed but a small, satisfied smile on her face. "It wouldn't be a surprise otherwise."

Cat leaned down to blow out the candle, making a silent wish before taking the cupcake from Andre. "Thank you, really. This is... perfect."

But as the evening wore on, Cat's energy began to wane. She laughed at their jokes, nodded along to their stories, and even tried to muster some enthusiasm when Tori presented her with a silly gift—a plush cat wearing a tiara—but the fatigue was hard to hide.

Jade noticed first, of course. "Hey, you okay?" she asked quietly, pulling Cat aside for a moment.

"I'm fine," Cat insisted, her smile a little too bright. "Just tired from the flight, that's all."

Jade didn't press further, though her eyes lingered on Cat's drooping posture.

Eventually, Cat curled up on the couch with an touched cupcake in hand, promising she was "just resting her eyes." Within minutes, she was fast asleep, the cupcake laying beside her. Tori and Andre exchanged a glance before looking to Jade, concern etched on their faces. The festive mood had dimmed, replaced by a shared understanding: Cat was happy, yes, but she was also running on empty. "She didn't even make it to the cupcakes," Tori said, leaning against the kitchen counter with a worried frown. "That's a first."

Andre sat on the armrest of the couch, glancing at Cat before turning back to Tori. "She looks beat, man. Like, worse than usual."

Jade stood by the window, arms crossed, her expression tight. "She's been running herself ragged for months. It's not just London—it's everything. The recording, the shows, the interviews."

"You don't think she's—like—regretting all this, do you?" Tori asked hesitantly.

Jade shook her head, but her gaze lingered on Cat. "No. She loves it. You can see it when she's on stage, when she's writing. It's just... a lot. Too much, maybe."

Andre sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "So what do we do? Kidnap her and force her to take a vacation?"

"As much as I'd love to throw her in the car and drive somewhere with zero cell service," Jade said dryly, "you know she wouldn't let us. She'd just worry about falling behind."

The room fell quiet, the sound of Cat shifting slightly in her sleep breaking the silence. Jade walked over, gently pulling the throw blanket higher over Cat's shoulders.

"She'll be okay," Jade said softly, more to herself than to anyone else. "She's just got to find her balance."

Tori and Andre exchanged a glance but didn't argue. They knew Jade was right. Cat loved her life, even if it was wearing her down at the moment. All they could do was be there, ready to catch her when she stumbled.

"It's so weird, you know?" Tori said, stirring her drink absentmindedly. "Like, yesterday, someone asked me for a selfie. Me. Just because they recognised me from her TheSlap page."

Andre chuckled. "That's wild. Did you take it?"

"Of course I did!" Tori said with a laugh. "It felt too ridiculous to say no. But still, it's bizarre. I'm not famous—she is." She gestured towards Cat, who was still sound asleep. "It's like being famous-adjacent or something."

Andre nodded. "I get what you mean. I've had people DM me, like, 'Hey, aren't you the guy who helped Caterina with her first songs?'" He shook his head.

Jade, sitting at the far end of the table, didn't look up from her coffee. "That's why all my socials are private," she said matter-of-factly. "I'm not getting sucked into all that."

Tori raised an eyebrow. "You don't get curious? Like, just a little?"

"Nope," Jade replied, her tone sharp but not unkind. "I don't need strangers prying into my life."

"Fair," Andre said. "But it's got to be hard sometimes, right? Being so close to all this and staying out of it."

Jade glanced toward the living room, where Cat shifted slightly in her sleep. A softer expression crossed her face. "It's not about me. It's her thing, not mine. I'm just... here for her, you know?"

The others nodded, the conversation fading into a comfortable silence. They all had their roles to play in Cat's increasingly chaotic world.

The house was quiet now, the hum of voices and laughter fading as Tori and Andre headed out into the cool night. Jade shut the door behind them, letting out a soft sigh before turning back to the living room.

Cat was still curled up on the couch, fast asleep, her face pressed against one of the cushions. The TV flickered quietly in the background, casting a warm glow over her relaxed features. Her cupcake from earlier now sat abandoned on the coffee table.

Jade approached her with a small smile, crouching down to brush a strand of red hair away from her face. "Cat?" she whispered.

Cat didn't stir.

With a shake of her head, Jade stood and slipped her arms under Cat—one beneath her legs, the other around her shoulders. She lifted her with surprising ease, though Cat's head lolled against Jade's shoulder, her soft breathing warm against Jade's neck.

"Up we go," Jade muttered, carrying her toward the stairs. Each step creaked faintly under their weight, but Cat remained blissfully unaware, her exhaustion deeper than even Jade had realised.

Reaching her bedroom, Jade nudged the door open with her foot and manoeuvred them both inside. She gently laid Cat down on the bed, taking a moment to pull the blanket over her. Cat shifted slightly, murmuring something incoherent, but didn't wake.

Jade sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, watching her. The fierce, unstoppable energy Cat radiated on stage was nowhere to be found now. She just looked small, almost fragile, like the same girl Jade had known long before all of this.

"Get some rest, superstar," Jade whispered, leaning down to press a soft kiss to Cat's temple.

Then she stood, quietly turning off the bedside lamp before slipping out of the room, leaving Cat to her dreams.