[A/N] Hey guys! Since it summer vacation I'll have time to write and what's better than a little bit of Vauseman? So, every chapter is going to be a new situation/part of Alex and Pipers' relationship. There's no particular order. It's basically everything that happened or could have happened from season one until three (so far). There'll be angst, fluff and smut.

I don't own Orange is the New Black or any of their characters. (I wished.)

And we fall through fate
But we rise and rise again
And I run, run, run, run, run

Long blonde hair curled around a pale face, shadowing its strong, beautiful features and slightly hiding a pair of blue eyes. Piper Chapman let out a long sigh that turned into a frustrated groan the moment she opened the message her girlfriend had sent.
Her flight was delayed – she wouldn't be there 'till fucking 3 AM. The 22-year-old got rid of her short, white dress within a second after throwing her phone on the bed with an almost angry movement and changed into a simple black top to sleep in. This was just fucked up.

Her eyes closed immediately after she let herself fall down onto the matress, as exhausted as she was. Instead of spending the day at the hotel room, which only would've reminded her of the current emptiness, she decided to see a bit of the city she was in. Madrid, Spain. Really pretty, though. After this long day of shopping, exploring and a bit of late night drinking at a bar near her hotel (while receiving dirty texts from Alex) she simply felt like shit.

She felt lost, incomplete and unable to function properly without the presence of the dark-haired woman. Alex screamed safety and comfort and at the same time adventure and danger, and she needed it.
She just needed her. She craved for her steady hands around her, her raspy and oh so dominant voice talking to her. And now she had to wait another stupid day. Well, night. Did she say fuck already? 'Cause fuck.

While being in Madrid for an important work situation, Alex got called for another case. An emergency. Important. Border trouble. With a thousand "sorry's" and the promise to be back soon Alex had left the young, too-in-love-to-even-fully-realize-the-situation, Piper alone. It had been five days now, instead of the promised two. So there she lay on the kingsized bed, pressed with her face into Alex' pillow, sniffing the barely-there lingering scent of her hair. It was enough to drive her into a deep sleep.

Keys thrown on a nightstand. Heels. A sigh. Tripping. Cursing. The sound of the bed cracking. And not much later, warmth. Home. Not that Piper had realized: she was lightly snoring, curled up, holding onto that pillow for dear life. Fucking adorable. Alex wasn't the type to show her emotions. Oh god, no. But Piper - this precious little everything made her heart do some freaky weird stuff the moment her green-ish eyes met this cute mess.

"Piper." It had been just a whisper. She didn't want to wake her up, she looked like she really needed her sleep. She just needed this kind of confirmation she was still real. Still hers. Still there.

And she was.

She slowly draped her arm around her body, laying her face on the tiny bit of pillow Piper had left for her. She nuzzled her face into the golden hair, overwhelmed by the familiar smell of vanilla and honey and apples. "Alex." A soft respond. Alex felt the feather light touch of eyelashes scraping against her arm. "Go to sleep, kid." Piper got (impossibly) closer to Alex' body: her head against her chest, fisting the material of Alex' shirt tightly, asleep in a few seconds.

She didn't see the tear escaping Alex' eye.

Alex felt oh so alive. Oh so tired. She fucking killed this job - so much potential. She was just so tired. Done. But hey, she couldn't escape this web she got stuck in. The fact she brought herself in danger twentyfour-seven didn't matter at all. But Piper. Oh, Piper. Their relationship was so bright, so new, so fucking good. She didn't deserve to be hurt. (She was aware of the fact the careless convincing-girls-to-get-stuck-into-this-cartel-too made a stone drop down Piper's stomach - even though the blonde knew it meant absolutely nothing.) It fucking sucked.

For now this was safe. Simply running away would've meant a dead Alex (and possibly a dead Piper).

She had to get through it.

For Piper.

She holds onto her a little tighter. A little more desperately. She'd never let go.

The younger woman smiled softly in her sleep, bringing those dimples in sight. Gosh. Alex pressed her lips to Pipers' forehead, lightly planting a kiss there.

There was not a single word in the whole damn world that could describe the intense feeling Alex had for her. It/she was her home. Everything worth living for. Trying for. Alex was the magnet and Piper the metal. They needed each other. Attached to each other. Always.

Alex closed her eyes. That single tear dried on her cheek. Forgotten.

[A/N] So, that was it. This is also pretty much my first fanfiction. And first English story. So handle momma with care.

Reviews (good or bad) are really appreciated. Until next time!