AN: The next installment in the Suave-verse, for those who wanted more. All errors, typos, etc. are mine and mine alone. Sorry. This story stood at 2300 words yesterday, untouched for three months. Now it's at 6500 and finished, there are bound to be errors.

It was Tuesday evening. Piper walked the short distance from the subway back to her apartment building, taking her time and making the most of the early evening sunshine. After spending the day cooped up inside, she was grateful for the warmth on her back and a chance at savouring some genuine daylight, rather than the washed out fluorescent glow that lit her classroom.

She shifted her satchel onto her other shoulder and thought about dinner, before ducking into Wholefoods and buying some sweet potatoes and baby spinach then continuing on her walk home. In her mind she planned her evening; she'd prepare dinner as soon as she was home, then would take a bath while it was cooking, then call Alex and catch up on some marking and planning after dinner.

The first couple of stages of her plan went well. The can of black beans and tortillas she was certain were lurking in the cupboard turned out to be real and not a figment of her imagination, so within forty minutes of arriving home the smell of black bean and sweet potato enchiladas started to fill her apartment. She took her time in the bath, reading another chapter of her book while the water cooled around her and the enchiladas cooked.

She ate dinner seated at her desk, people-watching as the pedestrians passed on the street below. Twice as the light faded she was certain a tall brunette on the pavement was Alex. Twice she was mistaken. On one of those occasions the leggy brunette turned out to be of the male variety, but Piper didn't think she'd admit this when she spoke with Alex later. She finished dinner, packaged up the leftovers to take to school for lunch the following day, washed the dishes and then moved back into the living room and started to unpack her satchel, ordering her work for the remainder of the evening into three piles.

She reached up to her iPod and chose an album by Ásgeir, an Icelandic artist introduced to her by Alex a few weeks earlier. She placed the iPod back into the speaker dock and sat back, allowing her eyes to close as the melody leaked from the speaker and into the room. She had versions of this album in both English and Icelandic, but always chose the Icelandic version when she was working. Alex liked to joke that this was so she wouldn't get distracted as she couldn't sing along and she may have had a point, although Piper denied it.

She listened to half a song, then reached for her phone. The screen showed no messages and no missed calls. She'd last spoken to Alex on Sunday. They'd spent the night at Alex's apartment, slept late and then fucked instead of eating breakfast. Piper was still a little tender from the encounter and shifted her position in her seat as if reminded by this just by seeing Alex's name in her contacts list. She'd left Alex's apartment in the early afternoon, leaving her lover dozing in bed as she made her way home to tackle the far less preferable domestic chores that awaited her.

Piper leaned back in her seat and tapped Alex's number on her screen, then sat back and listened to it ring. It rang for almost a minute, then diverted to voicemail.

"Hey, it's me. Just calling to um, well. To say hey, I guess. It's Tuesday, a little after eight thirty. Umm, give me a call? Okay. Okay, well, I'll talk to you then. Umm. Yeah. Okay. Okay bye."

Piper tapped the screen again to disconnect the call, scrunching her face up as she did so. She knew she sounded a dork when she left voicemails, but couldn't help it. She slid her phone onto the surface of her desk and turned her attention to her work. The next time she looked at her phone, it was a quarter to midnight and she had no idea where the time had gone. She stretched in her chair, then stood and turned off the music. She repacked her work into her satchel for the morning, then headed into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Once in bed a few minutes later, she plugged her phone in to charge overnight and tapped out a quick text message.

I'm heading to bed, Al. Call me tomorrow?
Goodnight. xx

Within five minutes of sending the text, Piper was sound asleep.

On the walk from the subway to school the following morning, Piper sent Alex another text.

Morning. Malodorous guy on subway invaded my personal space this morning. Icky. I feel violated.
I only like being violated by you. Then it's okay. ;)

She checked her phone during the lunch break and found two messages from Polly, but none from Alex. She frowned briefly, wondering why Alex had yet to reply, but then dismissed the thought and replied to Polly's messages, both of which provided far more detail than Piper would've liked about her latest sexual liaison with the intern, Garry. Or Barry. Or whatever the hell his name was.

The afternoon passed pretty quickly and Piper arrived home a few minutes after six. Her machine was flashing '2 messages' at her and she pressed the play button, listening to the first message as she removed her coat and unpacked her bag.

"Hey gorgeous, it's your favourite fake brother-in-law. Listen sweetie, we're gonna be in town next week, just for a couple of days. Dan said we should just fly in and out and not tell you, but I wouldn't hear of it..." Piper grinned, looking over at the machine as she heard the voice of her older brother in the background yelling that this wasn't true. "So we arrive late Wednesday and fly home early on Saturday, I have some, uh, family stuff to attend to, but we'd love to catch up with you for dinner. Say Friday night? Let us know, sweetie and I'll make reservations. Somewhere expensive. We'll make Danny pay. Ciao ciao!" There's a kissy sound from the machine, then the message ended. The machine announced the date and time of the next message as being just two minutes after the first and then Garett's sing-song voice filled the room again.

"Me again! Dan says I didn't make it clear that the invitation was for both of you. You and Alex. I'd have thought this was obvious, seeing as we don't usually catch up for dinner when we're in town, we usually sneak in and out without telling you, so it's clear that really we're just being nosey and want to meet the woman who's swept you off your feet, but he said I had to specify. So here I am, specifying. Both of you, dinner, next Friday. Okay sweetie? Love you. Ciao ciao."

Piper laughed quietly and immediately reached for her phone to call Alex. This time it didn't even ring, just went to voicemail.

"Hey, me again. I need to talk with you about dinner one night next week. Can you call me when you get this? Thanks. Um, okay. Talk soon. Bye… um, yeah. Bye."

She hung up and sighed. Dork, she chastised herself. No wonder she hasn't called you back.

Piper moved into the bedroom and changed into her running gear. Within five minutes she was stretching on the steps that led up to her apartment, then she set her earbuds in place and started off on a run along a route that she'd travelled countless times. She'd always been a runner, right back as far as she could remember. All through her school years she'd been the first pick for the track teams when it came to distance running. She had an effortless grace when she ran and she enjoyed the solitude running afforded her. When she moved on to college she found she neglected her running, managing just one outing a week at best and she missed it. Her time was diverted elsewhere and it was only as she neared graduation and her stress levels began to rise enormously that she realised running had a great impact not only on keeping her body in shape, but in keeping her mental state in check too. When she graduated, she promised herself she'd run at least three times a week, no matter what else was going on in her life, and this was something she'd stuck to.

When she arrived back at her building forty-five minutes later, she'd covered a little over seven miles and had worked up a decent sweat. She let herself back into her apartment, drank two full glasses of water, then peeled her clothes off as she headed into the bathroom for a cool shower. Always cool after a run, never hot.

She dressed in track pants and a tank top after her shower and padded barefoot into the kitchen to prepare dinner, eventually deciding on an omelette and salad she managed to knock together from the random bits and pieces lurking in her fridge. She sat at the kitchen counter to eat, drinking another glass of water and half-heartedly scrolling through emails on her phone as she picked at her food.

It was almost eight o'clock when Piper pushed her empty plate away and brought Alex's number up on her phone, before tapping the screen and listening as it immediately went to voicemail. She chose not to leave a message and instead looked at the phone in her hand for a few moments, frowning as she worked out when she'd last had contact with her girlfriend. Her brow furrowed even more when she realised that it had been four days.

Four days, six hours and ten minutes, said the little voice in her head.

Piper shook her head as if to dislodge the thought, then tapped the next number in the list under Alex's name. It rang half a dozen times before it was answered.

"Yeah this is Suave."

"Nicky?" Piper asked, a little uncertain. The noise in the background was tremendous, a cacophony of laughter and music and male voices shouting.

There was a brief pause, then "Mom?"

"What? Nicky? Nicky is that you?"

"Piper?"

"Yes!"

"Christ, Piper. Don't you ever fuckin' do that to me again!"

Piper is about to reply, when she hears Nicky shouting to someone in the background. "Hey hey hey! Stop that right now frat boy, or you'll be drinking your European beer on your ass in the street!"

There's another surge in laughter and shouting as frat boy's group of friends goad him and respond to Nicky's authority, then she's back on the phone again.

"I'm gonna have to go, Blondie. It's getting outta hand here."

"Wait! Nicky, wait.."

"Make it quick."

"Alex. Can I speak with Alex?"

"You think I'd be the schmuck dealing with this frat party if Vause was here? Seriously?"

"Oh. Oh, I..."

"She ain't here, Blondie and I really gotta go."

"Okay. Sorry, Nicky. Thanks."

"Catchya."

And with that, she's gone and Piper is left sitting alone at her kitchen counter holding her silent phone to her ear.

She sat that way for maybe twenty seconds, unmoving, as her mind ran through countless scenarios that would explain Alex's recent silence and absence from the new routines they'd been forming. When her mind led her to a bedroom and Alex in there with somebody else, she immediately turned her attention back to her phone and dialled the one person she could rely on to give her frank and honest advice.

"Harper yes?"

"You still haven't learned to say hello like normal people do, I notice."

"I'm not a normal person. Why would I want to do that?"

"Because it's polite?"

Piper smiled as she heard her best friend scoff. "How many years have we known each other, Pipe? Have you ever heard a single person refer to me as polite?"

"You may have a point," Piper conceded. "I've heard you called many things, but polite has never featured."

"There ya go," Polly replied, sounding a little smug.

"Bitch, however. Now that's been a common occurrence." Piper tried to keep the grin from her voice, but couldn't quite manage it.

"Hey!"

"Uber-bitch, on one occasion."

"I kinda liked that one. It conveys so much more than plain bitchiness. It's like, I don't know, it's like I'm Queen Bitch or something."

"You know that really isn't something to be proud of, right?"

"And why the fuck not? I am embracing my inner bitch, Pipe!"

"If it was just an inner bitch, it wouldn't be an issue. It's when you let it all out that the trouble starts."

"But life isn't boring, amirite?"

Piper can't help smiling at that. Polly is indeed right.

"Where are you?"

"Work. Deadline was two hours ago."

"Ah. Much more to do?"

"I don't know. Another couple of hours, maybe three. Why what's up?"

"Nothing, nothing. Everything's good. Just checking in."

Polly chuckled and Piper rolled her eyes.

"Wanna try that response again but with a little more sincerity?"

Piper sighed and shook her head. "I hate that you can do that."

Polly smiled. "You're a truly terrible liar. Now come on. What's going on?"

"Really, nothing. I just haven't heard from Alex in a couple of days and..."

"...and your paranoia has kicked in and you think she's either lying dead in the morgue, or lying in bed with some hot chick who isn't you. Yes?"

"Oh my God! I didn't even think about the dead thing!"

"Jeez, but you thought of the other?"

"Um, well… um..."

"Fuck's sake, Piper!"

Piper lowered her head and chose not to reply. She heard the quiet creak of Polly's chair as she leaned back, then heard her voice again. Quieter now.

"How long since you heard from her?"

"Sunday."

"Four days."

"Yeah."

"And you're worried?"

"Well not worried exactly, more… concerned."

"Is there a difference?"

Piper didn't reply to that, either.

"Okay, so is this unusual? Not hearing from her for four days?"

"Pretty much. I mean… yeah."

Polly paused before replying, then sighed. "Fuck, you're one of those couples that speak every day aren't you. Cutesy goodnight texts complete with love heart emoticons and all of that."

"I don't know why you say that with such disdain in your voice, honestly."

"But I know why you just had such a defensive tone in yours!"

Piper remains quiet. They both do. Eventually it was Polly who spoke again.

"Look, you need to chill. She's probably busy with work or a family drama or something. I'm sure you'd have heard if she was dead, and as for the other option… well, seriously Pipe. I've seen the way that woman looks at you. There isn't a chance in hell that she's doing someone other than you right now. I would stake my life on it."

"You think?"

"I know, chica."

Piper pondered this, tugging at her lower lip gently with her thumb and forefinger.

"She's probably just having a busy few days. It's only like me and this place, right? You know how crazy it gets sometimes. Eighteen hour days and more than a week before I get around to returning calls and shit like that."

"Yeah, yeah I guess."

"She'll call you, Pipe. Just cut her a little slack. She'll just be caught up in something and hasn't had the chance to call you. But she will."

"Mmkay."

Polly wasn't entirely convinced that Piper believed her, but she'd already fended four people off during this phone call and now Larry was standing beside her desk with a stack of papers that were apparently trying to wriggle free from his grasp.

"I'm gonna have to go, babe," Polly said. "You gonna be okay?"

Piper nodded silently into the phone, then found enough of her voice to reply.

"Yeah," she said quietly. "Yeah I am. Thanks Pol."

"Anytime. We'll do lunch on Saturday, okay?"

"Okay."

"Your shout."

Piper can't help laughing quietly. "Deal."

"See ya babe."

"Bye Pol, thanks."

Polly disconnected the call and Piper pushed her phone to the end of the counter. She leaned against the countertop, twirling a few strands of hair around her finger as she considered her next move. A couple of minutes later she'd realised that Polly was right and the next move in fact belonged to Alex. All Piper could do was wait.

After washing the few dishes from dinner, Piper poured herself a glass of wine and spent the rest of the evening curled on her sofa with a book, her phone beside her. Despite the pointed looks she gave it, the screen remained dark and when she finally retired to bed soon after eleven, she took it with her but knew it wouldn't ring tonight.

She lay in bed and composed a text before placing the phone on the bedside table and then turning away from it, as if to hide from the deafening silence it emitted.

I kinda miss your face.
Goodnight Al. x

Friday. The very first thing Piper did on waking was reach for her phone. The screen remained blank and a heavy feeling settled in the pit of Piper's stomach.

This feeling remained with her throughout the day, accompanying her on the subway ride to work, all through school and her interactions with both the children and her colleagues. At lunchtime, she sent a text that just read "Alex?"

The message, like the others she'd sent, remained unanswered. At eight o'clock, seated alone in her apartment and unable to focus on the work she was diligently trying to mark, Piper threw her pen on top of the work and pushed her chair back, giving up. Within five minutes she was dressed in her running gear and was stretching on the steps outside her apartment.

As she ran through the streets with dusk closing in, she tried to clear her mind. Her feet moved over the concrete beneath them and she counted her strides as she ran, breathing in on every fifth stride and then out six later. She ran on the spot whilst waiting for traffic lights to change, focused on nothing but her run. She had a relaxed and graceful running style, her arms moved freely, fists lightly clenched as her feet ate up the miles beneath her. Twenty minutes later and halfway through her run, she slowed to an unanticipated stop and looked around her.

"Fuck." She breathed, as she took in her surroundings.

She was standing beside iron railings that separated a communal space from the road. Large, warehouse-style buildings ran along the other three sides of the space and her eyes were immediately drawn up and to the left and to the windows of one particular apartment.

Alex's apartment.

Piper frowned and ran a hand through her hair. This was not her usual running route. She was probably three miles away from her usual circuit and she had no idea how or why she'd ended up here, no recollection of making choices at road junctions that meant she'd wind up here. She was just here.

She looked again at the apartment windows. The blinds appeared to be closed, but she was pretty sure there was light seeping through the small gaps at the edges. Signs of life, maybe? Was Alex in there right now? Was she home?

Piper reached for her phone, unfastening it from the holder on her arm. She unlocked it and pulled up Alex's name in her contacts, then stopped. Should I just go up there? I mean, I'm right here. In under three minutes I could be knocking on her door. She looked around her again, then back at the phone in her hand.

Her internal dialogue was weighing up the pros and cons of just rocking up on Alex's doorstep unannounced versus calling her. There were strong arguments for and against both options and she was no closer to making a decision when the phone rang in her hand.

Startled, she juggled it for a couple of seconds as it tried to wriggle from her hands, then answered the call without checking the display.

"Hello?" Her voice was tentative and her eyes automatically drifted up to the windows of Alex's apartment as she spoke.

"Hey babe, only me. Look, I'm sorry to do this to ya, but I gotta bail on lunch tomorrow."

"Oh, okay." Now her voice was dull and flat, the disappointment that this wasn't a call from Alex clear in just the three syllables she uttered.

"Oh hey, c'mon, don't make me feel shitty! I already feel shitty. We'll take a rain check, okay? I pinky-promise you we'll catch up in the week next week."

"No no, it's okay. It's alright."

Polly paused before speaking again, the frown was evident in her voice when she spoke. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

Piper scuffed at the pavement with the toe of her running shoe, then turned in a complete circle, surveying her surroundings as she let out a long slow breath.

"Nothing," she replied, her voice quiet. "I'm just out running."

"Running?"

"Yeah."

"You don't sound like you're running."

Piper rolled her eyes. "That's because I'm not. I'm talking to you."

"You stopped your run to talk to me?"

She hesitates for just a split second too long before answering. "Yeah."

"Bullshit. I'm calling it. Where are you?"

"Look. I gotta go. I'm getting cold."

"Where are you?" Polly's voice is more insistent.

"Going home. This is stupid. It's all fucked up."

"Piper?"

"Don't worry about lunch. I'll call you, Pol.'

Before Polly can reply, Piper hangs up. She secures her phone back into the holder on her arm, looks up at Alex's apartment again and shakes her head before turning on her heel and heading for home.

It is not a good return run. Her rhythm is missing, her feet slap on the pavement and she can't clear her head. She feels heavy. She feels tired, both physically and mentally and she finds herself wiping away tears when she's showering after her run, but she's not entirely sure where they came from or why.

Saturday morning dawned and Piper checked her phone on waking, as she had done every morning this week.

She finds four text messages from Polly, all from the previous night. She tapped out an apologetic reply, explaining she's okay but was having a rough night and blames tiredness and a heavy week at work. She says they'll do lunch next weekend instead, that she doesn't mind, that she'll call her soon.

Polly replies with a text that simply reads "Love you" and Piper feels the unexpected sting of tears in her eyes again.

She made a strong cup of coffee and drank it while eating fruit toast, leaning against the kitchen counter. She spent the majority of the morning busying herself with chores around the apartment; she paid some bills, did some laundry, changed the linen on the bed, cleaned the bathroom.

At eleven thirty, she answered the intercom in her apartment when it rang and was stunned into silence when Alex's voice said "Hey Pipes."

After a pause of a couple of seconds, she replied "Alex?"

"Um, yeah. Uh could you… could you come down?"

"You don't want to come up?"

"Please, Piper."

There's something in Alex's voice that makes Piper pause. Something she hasn't ever heard before and she doesn't know what it is.

"I'll be there in a minute."

Piper quickly checked her appearance, threw a blue crew neck sweater on over her t-shirt, pushed her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, swiped her keys from the table near the door then exited the apartment.

She jogged down the stairs and spotted Alex through the main doors to the building as she walked down the hallway. She was standing near the road, her back to the apartment. Black jeans, black boots, black leather jacket.

Alex turned as she heard the door click closed behind Piper and they looked at each other for a couple of seconds.

The first thing Piper noticed about Alex was how very pale she was. Her eyes looked tired, her face drawn. The usual confident demeanour was absent and instead Piper found herself looking at someone who appeared anxious, maybe even a little agitated. Even her posture was different and it made Piper pause before walking closer to her.

Alex was fidgeting. She knew she was and she hated herself for it. She thrust both of her hands into the pockets of her jacket and clenched them into fists. Her eyebrows drew together as a frown began to form. Piper looked hesitant, wary even, and Alex didn't know why.

"Hi," Piper said, her voice soft and quiet and uncertain.

Alex removed one of her hands from her jacket and dragged it roughly through her hair. She looked away as she began to speak, looking off down the street, finding it difficult to make and maintain eye contact.

"I have no right to ask you this, but… will you come with me?" She jerked her thumb over her shoulder and for the first time Piper noticed Nicky's beat up Honda parked alongside the kerb.

Clearly she must have looked surprised, because Alex continued. "I know, Piper. I know, okay. I haven't called or texted or replied to any of your messages and I've just left you hanging and there's no excuse for that. None. But I want to try and explain and I don't know if I can but I have to try and the only way I know how to do that is if you come with me."

"Please," she added a moment later, quieter, looking at Piper's shoes.

Before Piper can reply, another thought occurs to Alex and she fumbles the car keys out of her pocket, unlocks the car, reaches in and turns back to Piper again, arm outstretched holding a Starbucks cup.

"Venti soy triple shot latte with no foam."

She knows she sounds and even looks a little desperate, but it seems to have the desired effect as Piper's face softens. She takes the cup with a small smile and a murmured thank you, then moves past Alex and slides into the passenger seat.

Piper sees Alex's shoulders sag with relief before she turns and closes the car door and makes her way around to the driver's side.

As they pull away from the kerb, Piper wonders why Alex is gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles are white, but decides not to ask and sips her coffee instead.

They cover the first three miles in silence, Alex nudging the car slowly through the city streets as they head towards the highway. On four occasions Alex clears her throat as if she's about to speak, then doesn't. Piper cradles her coffee and pretends not to notice.

She sneaks glances over at Alex once they're on the highway, noting that the death-grip on the steering wheel remains firmly fixed and watching the frown that flicks across her features every few minutes. Piper thinks Alex looks troubled and she doesn't know whether to ask her what's wrong, or to continue to give her the space she seems to need.

After ten minutes on the highway, Piper finally breaks the silence and asks if she can put the radio on.

Alex appears surprised by the question, as if she had been unaware of the silence that filled the car. Almost as if she had been unaware of Piper's presence.

She nods quickly.

"Of course," she murmurs, reaching out toward the radio at the same time Piper does. Their fingers brush and they both freeze momentarily, before Piper withdraws her hand and rests it back in her lap.

Piper bites the corner of her bottom lip and turns her head to look out of the window. Alex puts the radio on, then returns her hand to the steering wheel. She glances at the radio twice, another frown flashing across her face as she listens to the music now filling the space in the car between them. It appears they've landed on eighties hour. Debbie Gibson gives way to Whitney Houston and after two songs Alex is about to reach out to retune to another a station. Then U2 begin to play.

She keeps her hands firmly on the steering wheel and listens to the song, the lyrics familiar to her. Her hands twist on the wheel as the song continues to play.

But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you…

As those words are sung for the second time in the song, Alex finds her hand releasing the steering wheel and reaching towards Piper's lap. She takes hold of the blonde's hand and interlaces their fingers. She doesn't look at Piper, she hardly dares to breathe, but she finds no resistance and their joined hands come to rest atop Piper's thigh.

Piper rests her head against the seat and after a moment turns her face towards Alex. Alex is aware of this, but it takes her a few seconds to summon the courage to look across. When their eyes meet, Piper gives Alex a small smile and squeezes her hand gently. Alex breathes out heavily and turns her attention back to the road, but she doesn't let go of Piper's hand.

Almost an hour later, Alex reluctantly releases Piper's hand and moves it back to the steering wheel as they exit the highway.

Piper looks around, but doesn't recognise either where they are or the name of the small town they've arrived in. Alex, on the other hand, is navigating the streets with confidence and maybe even familiarity. She reaches out and silences the radio and a few minutes later, makes a turn into a narrow tree lined road. The road opens out into a parking area and Alex takes care to park precisely between the white painted lines.

The parking area is lined with well-tended box hedges, there is a narrow walkway on the south side and Alex parks close to this. She kills the engine and lets out a heavy breath, her hands twisting on the steering wheel.

"Okay," she breathes.

"Hmm?" Piper didn't quite catch what she said. Alex shakes her head and then swallows.

Piper watches as a range of emotions flicker over Alex's face, then Alex unbuckles her seatbelt and half-turns in her seat to face Piper.

"I'm sorry," Alex begins, reaching out for Piper's hand again. She keeps her eyes fixed on Piper's fingers as she continues. "For this week, for being quiet, for not getting back to you. For…" she pauses and her brow furrows. "For avoiding you," she finishes, her voice quieter.

"Oh-okayyyy." Piper manages. She looks confused and it's this look of confusion that spurs Alex on when she glances up.

"It's not you, it's me," Alex says.

"Oh God, I've heard that before..." Piper replies with a wry smile.

Alex tries to smile, but it just doesn't come. She shakes her head and returns her gaze to Piper's fingers.

Alex swallows twice. "It's been a tough week."

"Mmm," Piper agrees.

"It wasn't just you. Nicky… Nicky lost her shit with me when I went to her apartment this morning. I genuinely thought she was gonna hit me. I don't think I've ever seen her so pissed."

Alex frowns again and lowers her head.

Piper keeps her voice soft. "I'm not pissed with you, Alex. I'm confused and I was worried and now I'm a little scared and I don't really know what's going on, but I'm not pissed with you."

"No?" Alex looks up and Piper shakes her head in reply.

"Well, not enough to hit you anyway," she tries, tilting her head and offering another small smile.

A hint of a smile ghosts Alex's lips, but it's gone almost as quickly as it appeared and she ducks her head again.

"I'm sorry."

Piper remains silent. She squeezes Alex's hand gently, but chooses not to speak.

Eventually Alex continues, her voice is quiet and unsteady and she still can't look at Piper properly, so she directs her words at their joined hands.

"I have some shitty coping strategies, Pipes. Better than they used to be, but still shitty. Unhelpful, even. But it's the only way I know how to cope sometimes and so I do what I do and I don't even consider the impact it might have on other people."

Alex pauses, takes an unsteady breath, then continues. "I should talk. I know what I should do, it's just actually doing it that I struggle with. Sometimes I just can't. So I withdraw and I..."

Her voice cracks and trails off and she shakes her head, not trusting herself to speak.

They sit in silence for half a minute. Piper watches Alex with a look of concern as she struggles to retain control of her emotions. She doesn't speak, she just holds her hand and sits with her and waits.

When Alex speaks again, she lifts her head and looks Piper directly in the eye. "I want you to meet someone. That's why I've brought you here. Is that okay?"

Piper looks around, but all she can see is box hedges and a handful of cars scattered around the lot.

She half-shrugs, half-smiles, confused. "Of course."

Alex continues to look at her for another couple of seconds.

Piper nods, trying to offer conviction. "Yes, Al. Of course that's okay."

Alex nods in response, then releases Piper's hand and pushes open the car door. She snatches the keys from the ignition and steps out of the car, taking a deep breath. As Piper exits the other side, Alex leans back into the car and reaches into the back seat. When she emerges, she's clutching flowers.

Roses. Pink ones, just two of them, tied together with a simple pink ribbon.

Piper glances at the flowers but says nothing. She waits for Alex to lock the car, then falls into step beside her as she heads toward the gap in the hedges that leads to the walkway.

As soon as they round the hedges, Piper realises for the first time exactly where she is. She's still unsure why, but she recognises the location. She automatically slips her hand into Alex's and lets her lead the way.

Alex is clearly familiar with the route and after three minutes of walking along gravel paths, surrounded by mature trees and well-maintained gardens, they leave the path and walk across the freshly mowed grass, heading towards a large established oak tree.

Piper keeps her eyes cast downwards, her hand holding Alex's tightly. As they approach the oak, Alex's footsteps slow and eventually stop. Piper allows her eyes to drift along the row they've walked beside, then finally fall upon the stone that lies in the grass at her feet.

It's a simple stone. Marble. It bears just three lines of text: a name and two dates.

The first date is in the summer of the late sixties. The second date is two years and two days old. The name reads Diane Vause.

Piper stares at the stone, her mind working out the difference between the dates.

She was so young, she thinks.
Then, Oh God. That's this week.

A small breath escapes her in a rush and she feels Alex hold her hand tighter. They stand together in silence, looking down at the gravestone.

A full minute passes. Then another. As Piper thinks about what Alex must have been through in the past week she feels a tear roll down her cheek. She takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself before speaking.

"You don't ever have to go through these anniversaries alone again, Alex." She says quietly, her voice still a little shaky despite the steadying breath. "I won't let you."

Alex doesn't reply for another minute. When she does, her voice sounds stronger. Clearer.

"Hey ma," she says. "I brought someone to meet you."

She releases Piper's hand and moves to put her arm around her shoulders instead. Piper's arm moves around Alex's waist and she leans into her, smelling the leather of her jacket mixed with the coconut shampoo her girlfriend uses.

"You were right, of course. There really was someone out there that's perfect for me. Who knew?!"

Piper finds herself smiling as she hears the grin in Alex's voice.

"Yeah," Alex continues. "You knew. Smart ass."

Alex tightens her arm around Piper's shoulders, the roses held loosely in her other hand.

"So, this is Piper, mom. You'd like her. You'd like her a lot."

Piper leans her head on the front of Alex's shoulder, still looking down at the stone. A soft smile now settled on her lips as she listens to Alex speak.

"But not as much as I do."

Alex turns her face and presses a kiss to Piper's head, letting her lips linger.

"I love you, Pipes," she murmurs into her girlfriend's hair a few seconds later. Piper feels another tear roll down her cheek, landing softly on Alex's leather jacket, but this one isn't borne from sadness.

"I love you too," she breathes. And she's never meant it more.