'Surely the great Alex Vause isn't afraid of heights?'

It was Pipers mocking tone that annoyed Alex the most. Of course she wasn't afraid of heights, merely that she had a deep rooted hatred of them, doing everything in her power to avoid them at all costs.

But she wasn't afraid.

Alex Vause was not afraid of anything.

However,wearing an uncomfortable harness, that dug into her in many uncomfortable, and unmentionable places; stood on a tiny wooden platform, where she was about to fling herself off into unknown, but most certain doom, was not where she wanted to be, and was most definitely not the place she wanted to admit that Piper may had got the better of her on this occasion.

'I'm not afraid of heights Pipes…' she threw back, the sarcasm not quite covering the quiver in her voice that gave her away, as her green eyes chanced a glance downwards, eyelids quickly screwing closed to save her from comprehending exactly how high they were.

'Sure you're not. But for the record – I can hear your knees knocking from here!'

Piper was enjoying this, Alex could tell. She looked so natural – even in the ridiculously bulky harness, Piper made it look easy, made it look good.

It was actually taking every ounce of Alex's will power not to rush over to her girlfriend, grab her by that harness and drag her off into the woods to do untold things to her.

But she couldn't.

As once again her brain reminded her that the woods were several hundred feet below her – and to drag anyone off anywhere would involve her clipping herself to the zip line above her head, praying to a god she didn't believe in and hoping to high hell that her feet touch solid ground again.

'But what if I get stuck out there Pipes…'

'You won't get stuck - you've got far more momentum behind you – if anything it would be me who got stuck.'

'Is that your round about way of telling me I need to lose a few pounds?'

'No! God no! Just – science is all. You're bigger, taller – just generally more of you than me, so the weight difference will help propel you quicker and furth-'

'How's that hole going Pipes?'

Piper chuckled aware she'd been caught mid ramble, but her jumble of words and thoughts had allowed the blonde to see Alex relax for just a moment, so after studying Alex's long, toned frame for a moment, eyes coming to rest on her cleavage, made all the more obvious by the harness she was wearing, Piper was all too aware of the smirk drifting across the taller woman's face, so she couldn't help but reply with a smile in her voice, 'It's pretty good – do you reckon it needs more work though?'

'Nope - you're good'

Relaxing slightly at the easy banter, Alex swallowed hard, and looked at Piper, who flashed her one of those smiles. A smile just reserved for between the two of them. A smile that told her it would be OK, and even if it wasn't, Piper would be there for her to make it all better.

Alex raised her hand, heavy with the pulley and carabiner that she prayed once again would carry her to safety.

'The things I do for you Chapman…'

'I know, and that's why I love you Vause. To the ends of the earth. Or the end of this zip line – which ever comes first!'

And with a wicked grin, a flash of mirth in blue eyes, Piper is gone just like that. A howl of excitement can be heard on the wind as Piper is propelled downwards along the zip line, the taut metal humming as Piper effortlessly glided through the air, leaving Alex on her platform, alone, once again nerves getting the best of her.

'To the ends of the earth Chapman. I'd follow you, to the ends of the earth'

There's a clunk of metal on metal. A sinking feeling as she steps out into nothing, a lightness as the wind rushes past her, the hum of the pulley against the metal wire close to her ear and the thrill of the chase as momentum builds and she nears her blonde prey.

The fact that Nicky doesn't choke on her beer now means that Alex has to put up with her best friend ridiculing her all night, at her blatant humiliation on the zip line.

'So Blondie, let me get this straight – Stretch here got stuck on a zip line – and was dangling there like an idiot? Fuck me! I would have paid good money to see that!'

Alex normally loved the fact that Piper and Nicky get on so well, but right now they are ganging up on her, conspiring against her with her own stupidity.

She notes that Pipers blue eyes are sparkling with the delight of retelling one of 'the highlights of the day', whilst Nicky is one snort of laughter away from inhaling the entire bottle of beer she holds in her hand.

But there is nothing she can do save for letting Piper retell her highly embarrassing experience and to listen to Nicky berating her even more, whats more annoying is that she knows Nicky will store this information and use it against her when's she has all but managed to bury it away in the darkness recesses of her mind.

Piper takes a chug of her beer, smile widening as she places her hand over Nicky's forearm, leaning in as if revealing further top secret evidence to a conspirator.

Alex spots Nicky's sideways glance to her, the laughter already spilling out from behind the hand she is trying to use to keep some form of composure. Then Nicky focuses back on Piper, nervous energy causing her to bounce up and down in her seat like a child needing the bathroom.

'That's not the best bit Nic…' Piper looks to Alex, trying to weigh up whether or not to continue with the tale, knowing full well that Alex would hold a grudge for a little while. Deciding that it was worth it for the laugh, Piper continued, a mock hushed tone to her voice, pretending to whisper as Alex lowered her head, bringing her fingers up to massage her temples as she waits for the onslaught from Nicky.

'Whilst she is dangling there – effectively doggy paddling in mid air trying to move – the instructor had to shimmy along the zip wire and drag her back…in the five years he's worked there, Alex is the first person he's had to rescue…'

Piper focused on Nicky, as the wild haired woman took in the new information, both exploding with laughter at the same time at Pipers words.

'Shit Vause! You had to be rescued? By the instructor? That's fucking hilarious man!' Alex was glaring at Nicky, the day's events still raw in her mind, yet not allowing her to see just how ridiculous the situation had been. Ignoring the death stares from her closest friend, Nicky ploughed on, her loud, raucous voice filling the air of the noise bar around them. ' How on earth did you manage to fuck up zip lining? I mean, come on, you fling yourself off one place and crash into the ground at the other! How did you go backwards?'

Alex mumbled something about missing her footing on the landing – her momentum forcing her backwards and out along the line again, but Nicky didn't hear a word. She was already up, out of her stool waving down the nearest barman for shots in order to 'celebrate the complete ineptitude of her longest standing friend'.

Seething silently, Alex picked at the label on the bottle of beer in her hands, her mind only distracted as she felt Pipers hands snake around her from behind resting at her waist, whilst the blonde nuzzled into her neck as she spoke.

'I think it's kinda sexy you know?'

'What? That your girlfriend is stupid enough to mess up zip lining? Hardly sexy Pipes. I looked like an idiot.'

Piper moved her self so she was now facing Alex, ducking her head to attempt to make eye contact with the still brooding Alex, as instinctively Alex wrapped her arms around the slim woman in front of her. 'Not that. I'm talking about how you put yourself out there – did something you were afraid of-'

'I'm not afraid of heights Piper.'

'Fine, I get it. But you did do something that scared you, and you did it for me….'

Alex looked up into the blue eyes that stared deep into her, watching them sparkle as Piper leaned in, her breath tickling Alex's ear, her words barely audible. '…and that is extremely hot…'

Piper broke away from the embrace and began walking away from Alex, backwards so not to break the gaze between them for a moment longer. The blonde watching as confusion reigned over Alex's face at the sudden parting, quickly replaced by that signature smirk and raised eyebrow she loved so much as Pipers destination registered and her mind began to race of all the possibilities that lay ahead of her.

As Piper sauntered off in the direction of the restrooms, Alex hopped off her stool, beer bottle discarded on the bar, and a whisper to her self as she made her way through the crowd bar. Her eyes never left her girlfriend as she weaved through the throngs of people, 'To the ends of the earth Chapman...the ends of the earth…'

A/N: So hey everyone! How you all doing? Long time no see – I know. I'm not going to go into the full details of my absence – just that life got a bit shit – to the point where it was hard to be inspired, be creative and write.

So rather than put out something I was not happy with, I took a step back, and it's been a long time before I've been mentally able to start to inch forward again.

Things are still a bit shit – but I'm trying to work through it, and thought I'd ease myself back in with a little one shot, because surely Vauseman makes everything OK? Right?!

This is dedicated to my amazing zip-trekking friend ejm137 (who, just to clarify did not get stuck on a zip line like Alex!) – your support over these last few months has been second to none and whole heartedly appreciated. Full cookies all round ;)

Plus a huge massive thank you to everyone else who has stopped by my other fics, left a message, dropped me a PM and generally tried to chivvy me along into writing again (JenSurname) it means the world that people want to read my Vauseman witterings. I'll try not to leave it so long next time.