"No, I think you take them in to the hospital if it's 104. We call parents for anything over 101, though." She scrambled to pack a bag one-handed. Underwear? Yeah. No wait. Those weren't clean. She threw and stuffed things wildly as she listened and tried to exude calm to a very distraught mom. Usually she didn't take calls from parents outside of hours. Actually, never until now. Raine had a serious soft spot for a very certain little glow baby with a very certain hot mom.

"If it's been less than the recommended time, you can alternate. You know? So, like, give one type and then the other. What kind and what time--?" She was nodding even thought she knew for a fact Steph wasn't here. Steph had her eyes on her baby girl.

"Look, if you need a second set of hands... I really don't mind. I'll pick up the acetaminophen on the way. What's your address and take a deep breath."

Raine ducked into the strap of her ukelele and overnight night bag all at once. She'd known when this conversation started where it was going and that had saved her some precious seconds of time. The vigilante locked the door behind her and started down the stairs.

"You could try a cool bath if you want to try something else rather than just waiting."

She hit the corner drug store and then hit the skies, even without her mask. Being seen and getting caught weren't even a thought. Getting there quick was.

So what if she showed up a little bit dewey? She could just blame the apartment stairs.

Raine dropped onto the street and looked for the apartment number to ring and get let in.

Steph was good at making herself busy when she wanted to be. It was not a matter of lying; with Malia, the Studio, and Silhouette activities, Steph kept herself occupied with tasks and responsibilities, even if she could only share two of the three as public excuses. Still, when it came to keeping a respectable distance from a certain gorgeous blonde, Steph knew how to selectively make her schedule book conspicuously full.

It was not that Raine was not a good friend; she was great to have around. She was too great to have around, based on how their night out at the club went. Getting close to Raine was easy and way too dangerous, somehow. The unassuming daycare attendant found ways to worm into Steph's thoughts and, much more troubling, her daydreams. No one should be occupying that much of her mental space, short of Malia. They could stay friendly and text, but Steph had to be more careful about the time she allowed herself to spend with Raine.

That social distance did a fat lot of good when Malia was showing signs of sickness. When Steph started to panic, Raine was the first person she even thought to call. She was the person Steph thought she could trust.

"Are you sure? She just... she's so hot, and she's just so unhappy..." Raine was right, realistically. The hospital was unnecessary, but Steph was overly concerned, to the point where she was missing parts of what Raine said to watch her daughter. She finally came to when she realized Raine was offering to come by and help. If Steph was in a normal, confident headspace, she would tell her friend she had the situation under control or find some reason not to have Raine over at the apartment.

Today, she just whimpered, "Please. I don't know what I'm doing." She should have read more books.

Until Raine got there, Steph put on a heathered gray t-shirt with a neckline wide enough to barely cling to one of her shoulders. The garb was a lazy outfit, but it was long enough to almost cover her cotton shorts. She just needed to throw on something vaguely presentable for her impending company while she drew up a cool bath for Malia, worrying about the temperature.

When the buzz of someone waiting to be let in rang through the apartment, Steph hurried to swaddle Malia in a towel and rush to the door to buzz Raine in. When her friend finally made it up to the apartment and Steph opened the door, she met the young woman with concern plainly on her face. "Please remind me I'm not a bad mom for being so lost right now?"

Raine was caught between wanting to rush in and give hugs and play it cool. She settled for just blurting out what was on her mind.

"I'm not here to rescue Malia. I'm here to rescue you. From yourself. Malia already has a fabulous mom to look after her." And the cherub in question was right there, all wrapped up, droopy-eyed, and pink cheeked. Just awake enough to smile at someone she recognized. "Isn't that right, hun?"

Raine held up a reusable bag. "May I come in? I brought presents." Meager presents, but presents all the same. She definitely scoped the place out as soon as she was granted access. The smell, the tidiness of it all (not that her apartment hadn't just suffered a tornado), the ratio of adult things to child things, the decorations... she was infinitely curious, but ultimately polite. They ended up at a kitchen table where Raine could properly play Santa Doctor.

"First for Malia. Medicine! Mmmm! It's grape flavor!" She produced a box and offered it to a disinterested Malia. Hmm. Usually she was a grabber... Her lethargy wasn't a great sign, but they would watch her. Now they had twice as many eyes to do so.

"For mom? Medicine! Mmm! It's grape flavor!" Raine brought out a sweet white wine and completely second guessed everything as soon as she'd made the joke. "I hope that's okay. You're not a bad mom and this stuff is scary. Scarier alone." She'd also panic grabbed a few snacks: apple juice boxes for Malia and pretzels, chocolates, and some gummies. It felt a little overkill now.

Stephanie saw plenty of Raine over the weeks, though they mostly kept that to their twice-a-day interactions at the daycare. She always had a way with kids, and Malia clearly adored her. Steph could relate. Seeing her, arms full of supplies at the door, the young blonde might as well have been an angel sent to save Stephanie from herself. Raine even said as much, reassuring Stephanie she was a better mom than she gave herself credit.

That reassurance was immediately enough to release some of the tension in Steph's shoulders, even if she still held a healthy amount of anxiety in her chest. It helped more when Malia smiled at Raine's appearance. "Of course, come in. Malia's obviously excited to have a visit from her favorite, Miss Raine."

Stephanie was glad she kept the apartment orderly now that she was having impromptu company. When she spent time in the apartment, she was there playing with and tending to Malia, so more of her toys and items were in the living room than anything. As tempting as it would be to keep one stolen piece of fine art on her walls, Steph was not about to be one of those thieves busted for her hubris, so she stuck with photos framed from her personal collection.

When medicine was offered, Malia was impartial, which both women noticed was out of the ordinary. "In Malia's defense, fake grape is not super grab-worthy."

The second bottle produced made Stephanie smile, particularly when Stephanie hesitated. "That's the grape flavor I'm here for," she asssured Raine, "and I genuinely appreciate it. You were willing to buy booze for an underaged drinker just to make me feel better." She had a recent birthday, but she was still firmly nineteen and had to tease her good and proper friend.

Stephanie accepted the medicine and used the counter in an effort to open and pour it while holding Malia in her other arm. While she did, she watched Raine unload enough supplies to genuinely warm her heart. "God, you'd make an amazing mom, Raine. Thank you. I feel almost silly calling you over like this." Normally, Steph was a level-headed planner, but with Malia, she was so easily paralyzed by the worry that she would do something wrong.

It wasn't weird, Raine assured herself. She would do this for any of her daycare kids. She wouldn't do it this late at night for all her daycare kids, maybe. But that was just because she was comfortable with Steph because they'd hung out. Pizza once. The bar... she was specifically blocking out the bar experience. It didn't count and was not at all related to taking care of children. That had been an almost lapse in judgement followed by several failures of her strength of will…

Yeah. Definitely blocking out the bar night.

And she had once again forgotten that Steph was under age.

”Mother fu-! huuun time is important.” She cringed. Sure, Malia wouldn’t remember if she cursed now, but it wasn’t the best habit to be in.

”I definitely forgot you’re not yet 21… again.” And she couldn’t take back a gift she’d already presented with such pomp and flare. Ugh! What an enabler she was! ”When’s your birthday? Because I’m going to continue to screw this up until then.”

Steph started with the good stuff: Malia’s meds. And she really seemed to have it despite the juggling act so Raine unloaded the rest of everything and made a little shrine to snacking and feeling better.

”I’m a panic shopper. Not that I’m panicked! Just… I dunno. Snacks are an important child food group and if you need to bribe her into feeling better or something…? You’ll know she’s feeling better if she doesn’t refuse snacks.”

It did warm her heart to hear that she’d be a good mom. Raine rocked back and forth from toe to heel, unsure if she’d be allowed to stay. Or if she even wanted to. The time directly after their awkward almost-date, Raine had been sure she’d ruined their not-relationship. But. They were friends. This was a friendship. They were friendly.

”I’m not sure being a mom is in the cards for me. I think I’ll just have to spend my love taking care of other kids.”

It was honestly endearing how good a person Raine was, and how little Stephanie held it against her. She clearly tried not to judge, but Raine was not going to enable Stephanie’s bad girl tendencies; she certainly proved as much on the dancefloor. Steph was certain if Raine brought her alcohol, it was one-hundred percent an accident made while rushing to be there for a friend.

”My birthday was a few days ago, actually,” she admitted, smirking. ”You’re looking at a bonafide nineteen-year-old. I’ll leave it up to you if I should hang onto this bottle for another year and three-hundred-sixty days.” Not that Steph believed Raine would stop her now that the bottle was given as a gift.

It was amazing. Three minutes earlier, Stephanie was a basketcase. Now, she was downgraded to a nervous mess, but she was smiling and laughing again. ”Your treasure trove of snacks is welcome, Rainy,” she assured the blonde, casually slipping a nickname in their conversation to test it out. ”It made my night, and I’m sure Malia’s thankful too, right baby?” She rocked Malia as she spoke to the girl, finishing filling a small plastic cup with purple liquid.

As Stephanie did her best to convince her fussy daughter to accept the medicine she needed, she thought about Raine’s view of her own future. It was unexpected that she did not see herself as a mother, because it was the easiest thing in the world for Steph to see. Still, everyone had their reasons, and if Raine did not see it because she did not want kids, that was valid. ”Well, you have a knack for them. Powers or no powers, Malia lights up around you. You’re just special like that.” That was something Steph could say genuinely and whole-heartedly.

This wonderful friend went out of her way to help Steph and Malia, not questioning the loss of her night. ”I was so dramatic over the phone, I didn’t think to ask, but I hope you didn’t cancel any plans to come over tonight?”

"You mean 730 days… drinking age is 21, hun. If you just turned 19 that makes me an accomplice and you a full 2 years under age. Happy birthday! I guess I won't tell the cops if you don't…" Math came easy to Raine. Breaking the law? Or the laws of time? Not so much.

Cringe. So much cringe. She had given it and would not take it back. Besides. It was bodega wine. Not exactly top shelf. She'd just meant it to help keep her from only obsessing about Malia.

"Oh. No you're not interrupting anything except ukelele practice." Raine brought the small instrument around to show off the soft case. "The kids love it and honestly, I love performing for a crowd that gets into it as much as kids do. Much easier than a full blown guitar."

She was testing the waters, trying to see if maybe singing Malia to sleep might buy her a little more time together.

”Yes, but my birthday was a whole five days ago, so only seven-hundred-and-twenty-five days.” She smirked, continuing to dote on Malia as she looked over her shoulder at Raine. ”Time’s already flying.” A little less than two years to continue messing with her wonderfully straight-laced friend.

Malia accepted the medicine, though a face was certainly made. At least she did not spit it out. Having Raine there helped things feel manageable, and it was good to know she did not pull Raine away from anything important or time-sensitive.

Raine’s plans for the night did pique Steph’s interest. Through memories of an ill-advised hookup with Zero and even more ill-advised grinding on the dancefloor with one of her only friends, Steph did remember Raine singing. It was one of the clearest memories she had from that night, because it caught her so off guard.

And of course this actual ball of sunshine played the ukulele. Steph smiled brightly, rocking her baby as she turned back to Raine. ”Performing is about knowing your audience, and you clearly do.”

Having an idea, unaware that she was not the first to have said idea, Steph looked down at the child cradled in her arms. ”Malia, is Miss Raine your favorite musician? Are you developing your first musical tastes at that daycare?”

Steph kissed the warm forehead of her daughter. ”You know, maybe such a good little girl who drank down all her medicine deserves a bedtime concert?” Steph looked up at Raine and shrugged a shoulder. ”What do you say? A little show for your biggest fan?”

Raine math-sassed and for all her trouble she got math-sassed back. It didn't really ease her anxiety over a broken law, but that was only because she was pretty sure that law was in place for a reason... or something. Surely it wasn't just arbitrary? She could puzzle until her puzzler was sore, but she'd already decided to not take it back so there was no point. She fully put the matter to rest, by putting her heart on the line instead.

Could she sing a song? Raine used her pretty-please eyes on both mom and Malia. Steph did have a point in that Malia was good enough to take all her medicine and not (yet, there was still a chance) throw up.

"Would that really be okay?" Her devious plan was... working? "You're sure I'm not intruding?"

Once reassured, Raine unzipped the black cloth case and brought out a light colored four string ukelele.

"Do you want to stay over the tile in case Malia... you know?" She made puking motions, in her head it had seemed the more polite thing to do somehow. "Or maybe grab a drink and get comfortable?" She plucked a string and found it still in tune. The next was not quite right so she tweaked the head pin while plucking it individually a few times. The little plinking tune up seemed to catch Malia's attention. Maybe she recognized it from daycare? Or maybe it was just interesting. Already Raine was beaming, she didn't often get nerves but there were definite flutters afoot.

"Alright. You might know this one. I don't sing it for the kiddos, but... I dunno I think it's fun." She set a clamp down over the entire first fret of the instrument and strummed once after placing her fingers just so... satisfied, Raine left her hand loose over the strings and started the pattern. Up, down, up, down. Up down, up-up down.

"Nice to meet you, where you been? I could show you incredible things!"

Even if they souldn't have seen her face, it would have been obvious by the way her voice sounded that she was grinning like a fool as she sang.

It was funny to see Raine double and triple check if it was alright for her to play music for Malia. Even when this girl scout of a woman was doing Steph favor after favor, she still had to go out of her way to ensure she was being courteous. Stephanie could not help but chuckle. ”Sure, intruding with your life-saving gifts and supernatural ability to make my daughter smile. Yes, Raine, I think we both wouldn’t mind a little music.”

Staying over the tile was the cautious plan, but it had been a long night; a little comfort was sorely needed. ”Two drinks coming up.” As she unsealed the bottle and poured drinks for the adults of the apartment, Stephanie noticed how the plucky twangs of the ukulele already garnered her daughter’s attention.

After some prep on both their parts, they relocated to the living room and Steph rocked her daughter gently, not wanting to upset her. Steph had started letting her music shuffle in the past weeks, hoping to learn some songs from the decade-plus she missed. When Raine said she might know the song, Steph silently hoped she was right there.

And when the strumming started and the first line kicked in, Stephanie grinned, because she absolutely knew this song. She looked to Raine and joined in, quietly singing along with her friend. ”Magic, madness, heaven sin, saw you there and I thought…”

Raine followed to the living room while strumming and singing. Yes, that left Steph with drinks and a baby, but Raine had to start now or forever hold her peace. And she was instantaneously rewarded. The blonde felt a sort of shock when Steph chimed in. It was an absolute thrill. Steph not only recognized the song, which meant Raine hadn't totally messed it up, but it also meant that Steph knew it! She didn't know Adele, but she knew Tyler Quick. Tyler was love. Tyler was universal.

"Oh my god, look at that face. You look like my next mistake. Love's a game, wanna play?" Raine quite suddenly was reconsidering her song choice, but what was sung could not be unsung. She bulldozed right over potential implications to continue on. The upbeat tone that the ukulele lent to the song really helped there. She couldn't stop and think on it too long otherwise she'd forget where she was.

So she blundered on, dipping and swaying to the beat she'd set. Malia, at least, seemed enthralled. Raine hadn't quite gotten the courage to watch Steph's reaction after she'd sung that she could make the bad guys good for a weekend. Because, well, as far as mistakes went she hadn't really turned a certain shadowmancer good.

Look at that face, indeed. Steph kept doing just that, stealing glances at Raine as they sang together. Malia loved the fun chords and pretty singing, but she was blissfully unaware of the undertones of the lyrics.

They were certainly powering through, ignoring the inexplicable warmth Steph suddenly felt. Maybe, if she was really lucky, she was just catching what Malia had. Despite the implications she wanted to avoid, she did fight a grin at the line about bad boys. She might have to tease Zero with that line next chance she got.

For now, she had another friendly and equally appealing blonde to spend her time with. At least choruses were the easiest part of a song.

”So it's gonna be forever or it's gonna go down in flames. You can tell me when it's over if the high was worth the pain. Got a long list of ex-lovers; they'll tell you I'm insane. 'Cause you know I love the players and you love the game!” Stephanie focused on rocking her smiling, yawning baby. Malia was definitely the focus here and okay maybe she looked back up at Raine. The briefest moment of eye contact and she would retreat to the safety of watching Malia.

And here's where things got tricky. There were a lot of words and a lot of verses and Raine didn't have a cheat sheet. The music and strumming was locked into a repeating pattern that she had memorized. The words, not so much.

"Cherry lips, crystal skies
I could show you incredible things
Stolen kisses, pretty lies
You're the king, baby I'm your Queen
Find out what you want
Be that girl for a month"

And really, who could stand to not rock back and forth, dancing and dipping in time with the strumming? It seemed Steph was keeping time with Malia and the whole scene was so heartwarming and fun that she stumbled in her verse, totally carried away in the moment of it all.

Something, something... Raine smiled and shrugged and hoped Steph could fill until she figured out where they ended up.

Oh! Right! The absolutely relevant part.

"Keep you second guessing like
"Oh my God, who is she?"
I get drunk on jealousy
But you'll come back each time you leave
'Cause darling I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream."

If tight ripped jeans and a Modern Art tee shirt was Steph's daydream, Raine would eat her ukulele. She hadn't really planned anything. She'd just thrown on shoes and tossed a bag together so she could come over. Raine would just have to settle for flyaway hair and her charm 'cause if anyone just kept on coming back, well, that was Raine, right? She'd tried to be the adult in the room and then went and bought booze and sang silly songs. What a stand-up selfish vigilante she was.

If Raine was missing or changing words, Stephanie would be oblivious. She only barely knew this song, as much as Tyler Quick was life. The lyrics were hard not to focus on, though. Cherry lips, stolen kisses. It was hard not to inadvertently notice Raine’s mouth as she sang. Her lips looked soft.

Song. Baby. Singing. Focusing!

Still, it was funny; “A Nightmare Dressed Like a Daydream.” That felt oddly fitting for Steph. Sure, it was not her jealousy that caused problems, but anyone who wanted to entertain the idea of getting close to her would realize it eventually. She was a very pretty, very tragic trainwreck, while Raine was this amazing, kindhearted paragon rocking the casual art chick look without trying. She was the daydream.

By the first half of the chorus, she could tell Malia was starting to drift into sleep. Grinning at the success of an unconventional ukulele lullaby, she jumped into the next part of the chorus.

”'Cause we're young and we're reckless
We'll take this way too far
It'll leave you breathless
Or with a nasty scar
Got a long list of ex-lovers
They'll tell you I'm insane
But I've got a blank space baby,”

She had no clue what compelled her to do it, but she winked at Raine when the clicking pen sound would typically come in.

”And I'll write your name”

Rather than trying to piece the versus together perfectly, Raine let Steph wrap it up with a chorus and a wink that made Raine want to crawl all over her. But she was the grownup in the room and not yet that shameless. God, why wasn't she that shameless? Ah. Right. THe woman of the hour, Malia was dozing adorably. SHE was Raine's fountain of self-restraint.

Raine kept strumming but slowed things down, switching almost seamlessly into a slower ballad that was lower energy that dragged out to be even slower and way better for Malia to relax to. This one she had to either hum, because it was French, or stumble through what she could remember of the English translation.

It was a pretty song meant for pretty moments and pretty words, pretty feelings and pretty ladies with pretty babies.

Also, definitely an attempt to lessen that budding electricity from Steph's wink. Which was silly because as she sang softly, she realized it was yet another love song.

"Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast
This is "La vie en rose""

There was no dancing around or dipping of the ukulele this time. Just a soft thrum of the chords that'd be easy to sink down into.