Hello! I know its been a long time since I have posted anything. Please don't be mad! I PROMISE I have not forgotten about my other story. I have about 3 more chapters written, and I'm not just happy with them. After binge watching season 6, I was inspired to write this, and have wrote a story plan. So I know how this will start and finish! There will be some spoilers for season 6, so if you haven't seen it DO NOT READ. I would love to see your comments and thoughts about it. I'm hoping in writing this it will give me the creative passion to rewrite the parts of The Crushing Reality of It All that I'm not please with. So please be kind 😊

Chapter One - The Cabin

The ride back to Cal's was a quiet one. The adrenaline and excitement of getting out was slowly wearing off and was being replaced with loss and panic. She felt empty and lost. The car felt small and stuffy, and the long bumpy road was doing nothing to settle her stomach. Although she was finally free, she just felt trapped. The car suddenly took a left turn, and up a slope into a wooded area. Cal swung the car round a log cabin became visible behind some trees. He drove forward and parked under a large awning that was off the side of the cabin. He turned off the engine and looked at Piper.
"Home sweet home sis."

He smiled tenderly and got out the car. Piper got out and followed him as they walked up the steps onto a wraparound deck and into the cabin. She was immediately engulfed into an embrace by a very large and waddling Neri.

"Piper it's so good to see you," She squeezed her tight. "I needed another woman in the house! Someone who gets it." She said as she rubbed the top of her bump.

"Wow, my little niece or nephew is getting big in there! How are you feeling?"

"For the record, we just found out it's a boy. And I feel like a hungry whale constantly. I keep getting Cal to drive to the store and pick me up all sorts of different foods, yet nothing is satisfying the urge! But all in all, I'm happy and our little one is doing well."

She smiled and motioned for Piper to follow her into the kitchen. Cal had brewed a pot of coffee and had set them out on the table.

"It's not a huge house we have here Pipes, but you're welcome here. We have a room for you. We didn't think you would want to move back in with mom and dad, so we have changed one of the guest rooms to a bedroom. I mean it's okay if you want..."

Piper cut him off by walking round the counter and pulling him into a hug.

"Thanks Cal. You don't know what that means to me. And you're right, I didn't want to go back there. I don't want to slot back into the role of being perfect Piper. I mean, I'm not perfect, but that's what they would expect of me. And right now, I don't want to have to meet someone's expectations. I don't have the energy for it. So all of this? Picking me up, giving me a place to stay. Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me, I know if the tables were turned, you would do the same for me," He squeezed her shoulder. "Come on, grab your coffee and I will show you around."

She picked up her cup, and once again followed him. They walked back into the main entrance hall in the middle of the cabin.

"So, to the left is our lounge room. It's mostly packed full of Neri's hippy books, but there is a TV in there somewhere I think. We don't really use it much. To the right we have our dining room. It's not formal like mom or dads, and we both usually spend most of our time in there. It's actually where we ran the panty business from." He chuckled.
He guided her up the stairs. Immediately at the top there was a bathroom.

"This door to the left is mine and Neris room. We built the babies room in the closet. Mom was not too happy about it, but we wanted the baby to be close. It's pretty big, I'll show you later."

He walked to the right down the hall and pointed out the cupboard with the spare linens and towels, another guest bedroom to the left and stopped when he got to the last door on the right. Opening it was a moderately sized bedroom with a door in the corner.

"This is your room. Feel free to decorate, we just left it as it was. Neri went out and bought all the bedding and decorations, again feel free to change. There is your own bathroom to through that door as well."

He looked at Piper and could see her eyes starting to well up.

"How about I give you a bit of time to settle in and nose around whilst I sort something for dinner. I get that this is totally overwhelming sis, so take the time you need. Come down when you are ready." He kissed her on the cheek and left shutting the door.

Piper looked around. The room was painted a forest green colour. There was a large mahogany double bed in the centre with a large window behind. There was a large crocheted blanket covering it a mix of colours. Probably Neri's doing. Piper smiled.

To the left of the room there was a small desk below another window, with a small laptop on. A large bookcase stood to the left of it, housing a few of her own books which she suspected Cal had collected from her parents. The other side of the room had a large built in wardrobe, also made of mahogany. The bedside tables each had a small lamp in the centre.

It wasn't big, it wasn't extravagant, it wasn't ultra-modern. But right now, she felt a sense of home. She put down her coffee and placed her bag of belongings on the bed. All that was left were some letters she had received previous from Alex, and a collection of photos. It suddenly saddened her that she was only looking for one face in all her photos. And it was that one face that wouldn't be found. She had no photos of Alex with her. She made a mental note to search some boxes at her parents' house. She opened the door to the bathroom, inside was a clean free-standing bath, with a shower overhead, her own toilet and sink. She smiled. I can finally pee alone. Remembering the conversation, she had with Alex previous.

On the side of the bath was a small wicker basket filled with unlabelled bottles and soaps, which had given the room a faint smell of vanilla.

She really must do something to thank Neri for all the personal touches she had done. It was so thoughtful and such a conscious effort to make her feel at home.

She leant over and put the plug in and started to run a bath. Walking back out of the room and into the hallway she bumped into Neri.

"I was just bringing up some spare clothes of mine, and I bought you a pack of underwear. Sorry its nothing special I just wanted you to have something."

A small tear escaped Pipers eye and ran down her cheek. "Thank you." She sobbed.

She was pulled into a hug again.

"Stop it. Your family. We take care of each other. And we are here for you. Go and relax and I will call you when dinner it done".

Piper nodded and gave a smile and retreated to her room.

About an hour later, they were all sat around the dining table eating a lamb casserole with potatoes.
Piper was eating as if she had never tasted food before. Savouring every mouthful.

"Cal that was amazing. Where did you learn to cook like this?!" She pushed her empty plate away from her and wiped her mouth on a napkin.

"Well when we found out We were expecting we both went and did a cookery course. Living the way we were in the caravan, wasn't really conducive for baby growing. We decided that although we needed to reign in the wild living, we wanted to still know where our food came from and how to cook it. We grow a lot of stuff out back, or shop at the farmers markets now. Neri will take you at the weekend she fucking loves that place. And we buy organic meat. Aren't you proud?" He chuckled to himself.

"Yes, actually I am. Out of all of us I would never have pegged you to be the first one to have kids! I would have actually put money on it. I guessed it would have been me, or even Danny at a push but not you. You two are going to be amazing parents, and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise."

Cal and Neri looked at each other and exchanged a loving smile.

"We actually need to speak with you Pipes," Cal started. "You weren't around from Grandma Celeste's will reading, it actually took place during the riot. She left everything, and I mean everything to me, you and Danny. She asked for her house and assets to be sold, and the proceeds to be split between us. 20% to Danny and 40% to each of us. We both got $4,000,000. Danny got $2,000,000. Mom and dad were pretty pissed let's put it that way. She put an advisory in her will that we each invest half or save it, and so I had to meet with a financial adviser with her lawyers. We have set up a trust fund for the baby. And we then bought this place with a ton of land. We hope to buy some animals and produce organic products. That's long term though, after the buns out the oven."

Pipers mind was reeling. She had money. She wasn't homeless. And she would be able to plan her futures. Once again, she felt privileged. But also saddened on how she become so. This time I need to make it count.

"I'm going to write a memoir. I'm going to expose the justice system for what it really is. I'm going to make sure those MCC assholes get exposed for what they are really doing. The world needs to hear about how the incarcerated are being treated. Yes, there are some people in there that did horrible crimes, but not all of them are these vicious criminals that the media portrays. The conditions are fucking inhumane, and they are just treated as a number not a life." She took a sip of her drink.

"I want to make a life for me and Alex. A legal life and I want to help people. It was going to be so fucking hard to find work with a criminal record. No one wants to hire an ex con, do they? I want to make that easier. Maybe run a business that hires them. That gives them a chance. This money will give me a change to make positive changes."

"That's a great idea Pipes. Celeste would be proud. We'll call her lawyers tomorrow and set up a meeting to discuss it all." He grabbed her hand and turn it over. "Now, what I personally want to learn more about is this," He motioned to the keychain ring on her finger. "Does my big sis have something to tell me?"

Piper looked down at her ring finger and smiled. "Alex arranged for us to get prison married. She busted her ass to make sure that my last morning in there was memorable with her. She somehow got Nicky to get ordained? It was online on some website. The phones that get sneaked in can be handy I guess. She took me to the recreation room, and we said our vows. I promised to wait for her Cal. And I meant it. She's not just my wife. She's my everything."

"So, it's legal then? Are you going to change your name?".

"I guess to. And I hadn't really thought about it. Is that something I could discuss with the lawyers?" Piper Vause does have a nice ring to it.

"It sure is sis."

Piper rose from the table and went to grab the plates.

"Don't even think about it. Get upstairs and have an early night. Relax or read a book or something".

Cal whisked the plates away.

"I'm going to be making a move myself, this little one is kicking me in all kinds of places, and I need rest. Walk up with me?".

Piper offered a hand to help her up and the pair walked upstairs.

"I know you don't want me to keep going on, so I will say this once more. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for accepting me into your home and being here for me. I feel so lost and scared, Buts it's made a little bit better, and a little bit easier to cope with knowing I have you both here with me. And thank you for all your personal touches in the room, I love them".

Neri smiled at her. "You're welcome. Goodnight Piper. She retreated into her bedroom.

Piper walked into hers and closed the door. She undressed and climbed into bed. Snuggling up to one side she turned off the lamp and quickly fell asleep having thoughts of how she was going to start rebuilding her life.