Once Stevie found sanctuary behind the closed bedroom door, she removed her makeup and stepped the few feet into her bathroom to cleanse her skin. She applied her creams, perfumed lotions and finally plopped herself down at the vanity table. She didn't know that Robin and Summer had arrived home until she heard a faint knock on the door.

"It's me," said the brunette, turning the knob and speaking through the widening crack.

"Hey," Stevie spoke half-heartedly, turning her head only briefly to acknowledge her longtime friend.

Robin pressed through the door and left it ajar behind her. She was already in her pale yellow and pink striped pajamas. Her hair was loose and fluffy from just having been brushed. Her face was bare of makeup. "The munchkin is brushing her teeth now. Her pajamas are on and I think Lindsey is going to read her a story before bed."

Stevie didn't speak, almost as if she couldn't hear her. The silence held something else in it but she couldn't put her finger on what. Robin moved the skirt of the long black dress still laid out on the bed ever so slightly, and sat down at the foot. "Are you already heading to bed? I've never known you to turn in so early." Still, no response. She watched as the blonde carefully brushed her hair. One stroke after another, her lips murmuring softly as she counted them.

"Ninety-two, ninety-three..."

"Stevie," Robin called, trying to get her friend's attention. Her head turned as she caught the door opening out of the corner of her eye.

"Sorry, ladies. I, uh, just came to get a pillow and blanket," Lindsey announced, holding his hands up in defense. He cringed, feeling awkward and unwanted in the room.

"In the closet," Stevie replied, her gaze still fixed on her own reflection.

"Here?" he asked, motioning with his thumb to the closet the two now shared and she placed her hairbrush down on the vanity table with a clatter.

She pivoted her body swiftly but mechanically on the white bench, her warm, soft features looking unusually stiff and taut. "Out there. In the hall," came the gelid reply. She pointed, her slender arm and extended index finger becoming an arrow for the intrusive presence in the room, encouraging him to leave the way in which he came.

"Thanks." He put his hands up again, not meaning to create further tension. He had hoped she had cooled down but he was dead wrong. If he knew anything about her, he know she could stay mad as long as she cared to. He bowed out, shutting the door completely.

Robin's lips curled into a smirk. "Ahhh..." She'd figured it out. "What did he do this time?" Stevie hummed, getting up from the refuge of her mirror. She walked over to where Robin was sitting, and swept  the dress up off the bed and back into the closet in seemingly one fluid motion. The heels on the floor disappeared; the perfume was placed back on her vanity and her bracelets were put back in her jewelry box. All form of celebration was erased before Robin's eyes, which now glittered like wild diamonds. She rubbed her hands together; she knew she was going to get all of the hot gossip.

"Don't get me started," Stevie said. "Not without a glass of wine."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "I just so happen to have a bottle chilling in the fridge."

Stevie giggled. "Oh, you are wicked, Robin Snyder!"

"It's part of my charm. Gimme a sec and I'll be right back." Robin got up quickly and hurried out of the room. Stevie's smile faded and she sighed, smoothing the fabric of her silky night clothes. The reality that her relationship was already crashing and burning killed her. He was her Lindsey but her Lindsey struggled with the need to control, to have the last word and she was determined to set a different course for their relationship this time. Robin came back quicker than she had realized, a glass being thrust into her hand. Her friend skillfully popped the cork and Stevie smiled as the straw-yellow liquid filled her glass.

"I see no little pieces of cork floating in my glass!" Stevie remarked.

"I know what I'm doing, Steves."

"Lindsey always leaves little pieces in there," she said sadly, staring into her glass.

"Hey," Robin criss-crossed her legs as she took her place on the bed once more. She motioned Stevie over and she did so reluctantly. "Let's talk. What's going on?"

"Oh, nothing, I guess."

"That's not true or else you wouldn't have needed the wine. Drink up, loosen those lips!"

Stevie giggled, taking a sip of her wine. She slight acidity hit her and she sighed contently. "This is beautiful."

"Isn't it?" Robin's eyes flashed with mischief, knowing it would help her friend talk.

"He's just so...stubborn. He's controlling and insecure..."

"Old news! He's a musician. They're all children that need mothering. You knew that."

"I did. And I wouldn't have gotten my Summer if I hadn't at least been okay with it but Jesus!" She took another hearty sip.

Once again, Robin's eyes flashed. "Go on."

"He, he got the job, Rob. I knew he would. He's a fucking genius! He came up with this elaborate costume and story but Alex should have known what he was missing. I'm sure even though you and Lindsey don't agree or see eye to eye on anything, you can see that he really is great."

"I do, but all this time you've basically when talking him up. I saw the exchange. What happened?" She urged.

"I'm getting to that." Stevie turned up her glass and knocked back the little amount of white wine that was left.

"Oh this is going to be good," Robin said, grabbing the wine bottle and refilling the blonde's glass.

"Don't get me drunk, Robin!" Stevie exclaimed as Robin poured 2/3rds of a glass with wine.

"You won't get drunk and if you do, you can sleep it off."

"I'm a mother! Besides, I have to get up early tomorrow because I'm meeting up with Alex and the 'new' band." She gestured with air quotes; only she knew the band was very much the same as it always was. "Is it getting warm in here?" She fanned herself, her chest becoming flushed already.

"Nope." Stevie shot her a knowing look and Robin had to stifle a laugh. "How is that going to go?" She looked up from her wine glass, lips still pressed to the rim as she awaited the petite blonde's answer.

"At first I worried about not being able to talk to Lindsey as if I've known him for years, or like we share a little girl. I was nervous about dying to kiss him or touch him and—"

Robin raised a hand. "That's enough."

Stevie giggled, tipsy from the wine already. It was going straight to her head. "But now it's going to be easy as pie. You couldn't pay me to touch him!"

"I'm sure you guys will be fine tomorrow, much to my displeasure. If I didn't have to see the two of you devouring each other as he bends you back over the kitchen counter..."

Stevie blushed. "That has never happened!"

"Oh, yes it has! Putting you two under the same roof, it's no wonder how you ended up with Summer. I've had the urge to turn the hose on both of you so many times. And to have that much energy in the morning!"

Stevie held up a hand this time, mimicking Robin. "That's enough."

Robin chuckled. "But it still doesn't explain why he ran in and out of here with his tail tucked between his legs. I know your temper and you must have unleashed it on him for a reason."

"I don't have a temper."

"Sure, Miss Even-Keeled. Tell that to someone who doesn't actually know you." Stevie rolled her eyes. "It's not good to keep it all bottled up."

Stevie sighed, placing her glass down on the night stand. She stared into her lap, picking at her nails. "Right before Lindsey called me this afternoon, Alex and I talked about the future of my career." Stevie sniffed. "Wow, it's so strange to think of this being a career. It's all Linds and I have dreamed of. I mean, after our record was dropped and we were going to have the baby, I thought we would take a couple years off, write a new record...then he left and I—" she had to stop herself from going there. She shook her head, trying to erase those intrusive thoughts. "Anyway, Alex wants to front the money for my album, a full length record and he has a couple of managers in mind to help me along. We talked about a promotional tour and so many incredible things!"

"And Lindsey opposed that?" Robin asked, twisting her face in disgust.

Stevie looked up and shook her head. "No, no. I'm sure if given the chance Lindsey would have been over the moon but there were conditions."

"Like what?" Getting answers out of this girl was like pulling teeth, she thought.

"Lindsey isn't allowed in the studio when we record or at any of the venues while I'm on tour."

"That is going be a little hard with Lindsey literally being in the band."

"Right, but Alex doesn't know that. If he ever found out, he'd hit the ceiling! Lindsey has it in his mind that Alex is trying to isolate me, and keep me to himself. He thinks that if Lindsey isn't around, maybe Alex will have ample room to win me back." Stevie shook her head. "Isn't that insane?!"

"Uh, not really, no." Robin said, and Stevie's eyes widened. "You can't be this naive! Alex has had a thing for you since day one and honestly, I've never seen his attention stay on someone this long. Not like that's anything to pay yourself on the back over but he has the attention span of a fruit fly when it comes to women. As long as it's fruit, who cares!"

Stevie furrowed her brow, confused. "You lost me."

"Look, all I'm saying is that- and I hate to say this, or even think it- Lindsey could, maybe, possibly be...right." Robin winced, as if it physically hurt to agree with him.

"I never thought I'd see the day!" Stevie was astonished.

"I wish you hadn't, but it's the truth. Alex has tried to come between you two multiple times. He's a business man so he knows how to get what he wants. Him giving you all the money you need for your record and setting you up on some incredible tour...you don't think he would use that as an opportunity to flex how grateful you are to him?"

"What?"

"Stevie! Come on! He's giving you everything your little heart desires on a silver platter. You don't think that would loosen you up at all? Men don't think with their brain, they think with their—"

"Shh!" Stevie's eyes grew to the size of saucers as realization washed over her. "Oh no!"

"Oh yes! As shitty as it sounds, he wants you and he will stop at nothing to get you. I'm sure he wants you to be happy and he believes in your talent but Lindsey is looking out for you, even if it seems like he's being a selfish, petulant child." Robin finished her glass and sighed. "I really should stop drinking if I start seeing Lindsey's side of things."

Stevie playfully shoved her friend as they both roared with drunken laughter. "Shush!"

"I'm going to head to bed. Are you alright?" Robin rose from the bed, picking up the empty bottle and the wine glasses, nestling them into the crook of her arm.

Stevie nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you for this."

"Don't mention it. But it's not a replacement for a real Girl's Night. Pencil me in, Rockstar."

"I will. Always."

Robin blew her friend a kiss with her free hand and Stevie caught it. Robin left the door ajar and Stevie stared at the back of it, deep in thought. Should she, or shouldn't she? she wondered. Stevie pulled on her silky dressing gown, tying it up around her waist and carefully tiptoed down to the living room. A creak on the stair caused the curly-haired guitarist to look up from his makeshift bed on the sofa. He sat up fully as she came into view. She was rosy cheeked and looked incredibly shy for some reason. He smiled softly. He loved her.

"Hey, did you need something?" He asked, regretting it as he broke the silence. She shook her head. "Alright." Still he stared at her and couldn't look away. Her eyes glanced down at the floor for a moment before looking back into his eyes.

"You were right, and I'm sorry."

"What?" He cocked his head to the side like a cocker spaniel and she chuckled softly to herself. How could he be so frustratingly cute? She bent to sit with him, and he moved to accommodate.

"I talked to Robin and she sees it too. I don't know how I could have looked past it. Maybe Alex is trying to break us up, but that's why we have to stay together. So he doesn't win."

"Stevie, it's a romantic idea and all but if you think we're not working...if you think I'm still as controlling and—"

"Shh!" Stevie put her index finger to his lips. "For once, Mr Buckingham, you were right. Can't you just take it, savor it and not argue with me about it? You're right. You're right, you're right, you're right!" She felt his lips curl into a smile and she leaned forward, replacing her finger with her lips in a passionate kiss.

"Wow!" he sighed dreamily as their lips separated.

"Now, are you going to stay down here or are you coming to bed?" Stevie stood and Lindsey stared up at her.

"Am I dreaming?" It just couldn't be real.

She giggled, grabbing his hand and giving it a gentle tug. "Come on, lover boy. I'm tired."

"Anything you want, babe." He came with her willingly, leaving the spare pillow and blanket in a rumpled heap.

A/N: sorry for any mistakes. 💜