"What do you think?" Piper asked, posing with her hands on her hips.

"One second, babe." Alex carefully finished pinning back a strand of curled black hair, and turned around. Her eyes twinkled and she smiled seductively.

"Wow," she said, as she slowly got up and wrapped her arms around Piper's waist. She pushed Piper's long blond hair to the side and softly kissed her neck. "Please tell me you're not wearing anything underneath," she whispered.

Piper smiled. The sound of Alex's raspy voice still made her body tingle.

"Stop it, you," she said, teasingly pushing Alex away. "We've been doing nothing else all day."

They had been dating for a few weeks now and Alex had asked her to accompany her to some extravagant party one of her friends was throwing. Alex's life seemed to be a consistent stream of lavish parties, expensive restaurants and trips to exotic destinations. Piper was sure everything in her wardrobe would make her look like a teenager at a grown-up party, so Alex had told her to raid her closet. Most of the clothes in there were a little too edgy for Piper, but she had found this beautiful emerald dress. It still had the tags attached, and when Piper had glanced at the price her eyes grew wide. It cost more than she made in a month.

"It looks great on you," Alex said approvingly. "You should keep it."

"No, no, no, Al," Piper protested, "I can't. It's a super expensive dress."

Alex smiled and wrapped her hands around her hips and pulled her in for a kiss. "Well I think I enjoy watching you wear it more than I would enjoy wearing it. So you're technically doing me a favor," she said.

Piper smiled and kissed Alex. "Ok, then. I love doing favors."

Piper sometimes felt so small and insignificant next to her worldly lover, but this feeling never lasted very long. No one had ever looked at her the way Alex did, her eyes filled with longing and admiration, as if she couldn't believe Piper was real. It was intoxicating. How could the most intriguing woman she had ever met find her, goody two-shoes Piper Chapman, so irresistible?

Their passionate kiss was interrupted by the shrill sound of Alex's cellphone. She moaned impatiently. "Ugh, who's calling me at this hour?" she groaned as she grabbed her phone from the dresser. Her face softened as she glanced at the caller display.

"Oh, hi mom!" she said lovingly. Piper wondered if she should find something else to do. Alex's calls with her mom usually lasted at least an hour, with Alex repeatedly bursting into hysterical laughter over some funny event her mom was recounting on the other end. It always made Piper wish her mom was a little more like Alex's mom. This time Alex didn't seem to be laughing, though.

"Oh," Alex said in response to something her mom was saying. "Hmmm. How?"

Piper studied Alex's face for clues as to what was going on, but her face did not betray any emotion. Alex sighed.

"Well, that's unsurprising." She flatly said into the phone. "Yes. I know. No, I'm fine, really." She began pushing her glasses from her face, like she always did when she wasn't sure how to conduct herself, but then remembered it would ruin her neatly pinned hair, so she put them back on. She sighed, again.

"Yes, really, I'm fine. Thanks for telling me, mom." She said. "I love you. Talk to you later." She lowered the phone and hung up the call.

Piper frowned. "Everything okay?" she asked hesitatingly.

Alex shrugged and sat back down at the dressing table and began applying her signature black eyeliner. "Remember my dad, the legendary has-been rockstar?"

"Yes?"

"Well, he's dead." She said matter-of-factly, as she leaned towards the mirror with her eyes half closed as she carefully drew a thick black line on her eyelid.

Piper gasped. "Oh god, that's horrible," she said. "I'm so sorry, Al."

"Don't be," Alex said as she put down the eyeliner. "I didn't really know him that well and from what I did see he was a weirdo and a loser."

Piper hesitated. "Well, he's still you're dad," she tried.

Alex chuckled joylessly. "Yeah, some dad. Never once saw him as a kid and then when I finally found him he couldn't stop talking about my rack."

"What did he die of?" Piper asked.

"Overdose. At least he died a rockstar death." Alex said with a shrill laugh.

Piper didn't smile. "Are you sure, you're okay?" she asked worriedly. "We can stay home if you want."

Alex laughed mockingly. "Are you fucking kidding me? This is going to be one kick-ass party and I get to watch you dance in that dress." she winked, as the stuffed some things in her purse. "Are you ready?"

The party was everything Piper had expected and more. The venue was an old mansion with statues and art work and indoor fountains with colored water. She could have spent an entire day just looking at her surroundings. Everyone in attendance looked incredibly classy and confident, but with Alex by her side she no longer felt invisible. She had noticed both men and women staring at her with envy as Alex wrapped her arms around her. When Alex introduced her as her girlfriend, everyone nodded at her with admiration. It seemed no one was quite immune to Alex Vause's spell.

The supply of champagne was endless and as the night wore on Piper felt increasingly light-headed. She and Alex danced in the middle of the dance floor, their bodies pressed against each other and following a similar rhythm. Piper should have been having the time of her life, but despite the fun she was having she couldn't shake a sense of worry as she looked at Alex. She'd watched her girlfriend down drink after drink like the world depended on it and she had become increasingly loud and boisterous. Alex was always the life of the party, but tonight Alex's loud cheerfulness seemed almost hysterical, like she was laughing as hard as she could so she wouldn't cry.

"Are you ok, babe?" Alex asked when she caught Piper's worried look. "Aren't you having fun?" she asked teasingly, as she attempted a pirouette and almost lost her footing.

Piper quickly grabbed her by the waist and laughed. "I am having tons of fun, but I think it's time for you to switch to water."

Alex laughed. "You're always so fucking responsible." She said loudly. "Come on, live a little!" She turned around and grabbed a guy who was standing near. "Hey, Scott, help me get my straight-laced girlfriend more drunk!" she yelled. Scott laughed, "I'll be right back, ladies."

Alex moved her body to the beat of the music, and Piper couldn't help but be drawn in. The sensation of Alex's hands all over her body as they rubbed up against each other had a way of making her lose sight of anything else.

"Here we go," Scott said as he returned with a bottle of champagne and three glasses.

"Whoooo!" Alex yelled as Scott popped the cork and Piper smiled involuntarily. There was always tomorrow for serious conversation.

…

"Aw, fuck," Alex groaned as she slowly opened her eyes.

Piper smiled as she sat down on the edge of the bed with a glass of water.

"Good morning sunshine."

Alex mumbled something undistinguishable as she reached for her glasses. She slowly pushed up against the pillows and rubbed her eyes before putting on her glasses and taking the glass of water Piper was holding out for her.

"Morning," she said, her hungover voice even huskier than it normally was. "Jeez, that was some fucking party. How the hell did we get home?"

Piper laughed. "It was quite the adventure. We took a taxi here, but you couldn't remember where you put your apartment key. You were convinced it got lost. You spent at least half and hour for it before you realized you were keeping it right were you always keep it."

Alex smiled. "Oh, fuck." She groaned. "Did you have a great time? I told you it would be mind-blowing, right?"

Piper smiled. "It was lovely, Al," she said. "But there's something I want to talk about."

Alex sighed. "I know I can be an annoying drunk," she smiled. "I'm sorry, I don't normally get that plastered."

Piper shook her head. "That's not really it," she said, reaching for Alex's arm.

"Alex, I just want you to know you can trust me," she said. "If you're upset or hurt, I want to be there for you. You don't have to hide it."

Alex frowned and took a swig of water. "What are you talking about?"

Piper shifted on the bed and looked a little concerned. "Well, last night. I seemed like you were sort of – overcompensating or something. I thought you were maybe more upset about your dad than you let on."

Alex shook her head in disbelief. "I told you, I don't care," she said impatiently. "It's not a big deal, no need to ruin my evening – let alone yours – over it." Her face looked blank. "Can we do this some other time, Pipes?" she asked. "I feel like shit."

Piper nodded slowly. "Alright," she said softly. "But I just want you to know that – I love the wild parties and fancy dinners and how much fun you are to be around when we go places, but –" she paused as she pushed some strands of black hair from Alex's face. "Those things are just extras. They are not why I love you. And it's not your job to entertain me or something," she said. "I'm here for the shitty and unglamorous parts too, Al."

Alex bit her lip and was quiet for a few second and then she reached for Piper's hand. "Thanks Pipes," she said, her voice filled with emotion. "I- I guess I was worried you wouldn't like me if I stopped being fun."

"You can't always be fun."

Alex nodded and tears started forming in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away. "Fuck, Pipes, you're turning me into a softie."

Piper smiled, "I will love you regardless." She said. "Do you want to talk about it more?" she asked quietly, rubbing Alex's arm.

Alex nodded. "But let me shower first, I feel disgusting."

Piper laughed and leaned in to kiss her. Alex turned her head. "Kiss me on the cheek, my breath smells."

Piper kissed her on the cheek and pulled back the covers. "Go shower," she smiled. "I will make you breakfast".