Authors note: Hey guys, this is my first fan fic. I will be updating it frequently. Please leave me a comment and tell me if you are enjoying this story and whether I should keep on with it :) I hope you enjoy! To everyone telling me about paragraphs - I am trying but I seem to be having problems with a bunch of random text every time I start a new chapter. I'm working on it, be patient ;) - I think I've figured it out. xx

Piper Chapman stepped off the plane and onto the cold, hard ground at JFK Airport. "Its good to be home" She thought, as she made her way into arrivals. She caught sight of her best friend, Polly, approaching and waving frantically. "Piper! Its been so long! How are you? How's Larry? It was such a surprise when you told me you were on your way, I didn't know you had a visit planned!" She never changed, she was always so questioning, it had been 7 months since Piper's last visit and Polly didn't know the reason she was back this time. "Look Poll, lets get to the car and I'll explain everything on the way, we need to stop for something to eat, I'm starving."

The car engine roared as it fought to start against the cold bitter Brooklyn Air. As soon as they had pulled out of the airport Polly's interrogation started again. "So, Piper, are you going to tell me what's going on? Why the sudden trip home and why do you have so many bags?" Piper looked out of the window of the car, it had started to rain and she watched the raindrops land and fall down the glass.

"I'm back for good this time. I know I told Larry it would be fine if we moved away. I know that new writing job was going to be so good for him, but Chicago was just too far away, I didn't know anybody there and it got lonely. Plus, he was working all the time and I guess when he got home he was tired. I decided I couldn't do it anymore. I told him it was over, its been a long time coming, I guess."

"Geez, Piper, You should have called me or something, I could have come to visit you. You can stay with Pete and I if you need to, until you get on your feet"

"Thanks Poll, But I've already got an apartment arranged in town. its Furnished so I'll be able to just move right in. Now, there's the matter of where we are going to eat..." Piper's stomach growled as she thought about what she would like to eat, she hadn't time to grab anything before the flight this morning.

"There's always that little restaurant in town...hmm... what's it's name?"

"The Hero Inn?"

"YES! That's the one, it does amazing pizza!"

The car ground to a halt outside of the restaurant and both girls waited in anticipation to time the right moment to get out of the car and... RUN! The Rain pelted their faces as they ran across the street and through the doors. Both collapsing, drenched, into a booth. A wild haired Waitress approached them. "Hi, My name is Nicky, welcome to the Hero Inn, what can I get you guys?" "A Large pepperoni pizza, please, with extra Mozzarella!" Piper replied eagerly. "And a side of French fries" Polly's eyes widened. "Someone's Hungry! I'll have a small bowl of French fries, please, and a jug of water for the table."

Piper's eyes wandered to the bar. She used to come in here to have some time out when her and Larry were having a row. Her thoughts moved to the tall, beautiful, dark haired employee who she used to watch over the top of her laptop screen as she researched soap fragrances. That employee also happened to be a woman. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. The waitress was approaching the table clutching the food she was eagerly awaiting.

"Here you go, guys, enjoy your food. Let me know if there's anything else you need, Alright?"

"yeah, thanks... Nicky"

There she was! Just as Piper took her first huge mouthful of Pizza, she noticed the dark haired waitress come out from a back room and start serving drinks. She had a dark pair of jeans on and a tight black top. She felt her heart quicken as she watched her move around the bar.

"Are you sure you are OK Piper? You look kind of vacant" Polly's voice snapped Piper back into reality as she took another bite of pizza.

"Yeah, I'm better now I'm eating, The weather sounds pretty bad out there, though!" Polly's phone rang in her pocket and she answered it.

"I'm sorry, Piper, I'm gonna have to go, Pete needs me to pick him up from work, I didn't realize the time, he's been waiting over half an hour for me. Here's some money so you can catch a cab to your apartment, I'll drop your bags in the door if you give me your spare key. Message me to let me know you are back ok"

She gave Piper a quick kiss on the cheek and hurried out the door grabbing the spare key from Piper on the way into the wild weather. Suddenly, all the lights went out, plunging the restaurant and all of the diners into darkness. "Great!" She fumbled for her bag and lit the screen up on her phone, just as everyone else was doing the same. She put on the flashlight and shone it around. there was a wave of noise as everyone bustled to find their belongings to leave.

She jumped as she noticed the dark haired waitress was approaching her. she started to panic about what she looked like, flattening her clothes out and giving a nervous smile. "Typical..." she sighed as she sunk down into the chair opposite Piper.

"I knew I should have had that generator installed last month, they did warn me! I'm Alex. Your date stood you up?"

"No" Piper replied anxiously.

"That was my friend, she had to go" Piper studied Alex's face in the darkness, the shadows made her cheekbones look so much more defined and her hair looked even darker than it seemed possible. Her eyes were glinting as she looked back at her.

"You used to come in here, months ago, didn't you?" Piper was taken aback. She couldn't believe Alex could remember her, she thought she had gone unnoticed, and she blushed as she realized Alex had known she was staring at her the whole time she had been looking "at" her laptop screen.

"y-yeah, I did... I used to study in here because it was quiet.."

"Yeah, well it sure is quiet now!" Alex smirked.

Piper realized the restaurant was unusually quiet. She lit up her phone and a fresh wave of panic washed over her as she realized everyone had left. She was the only one left at the tables. there was crashing and banging coming from the softly lit kitchen as people cleaned up in candlelight.

"I'll take you home if you like, I don't want you leaving here with the weather like that" Alex said as she stood up. Piper followed. Nicky brought a candle out of the kitchen so the pair could make their way to the door.

"There you go boss!" she said as she made her way back into the kitchen to continue cleaning up.

"I didn't catch your name, kid" Alex looked at Piper in anticipation.

"Uh... Its Piper... I'm Piper" she stammered back.

"Piper, nice to officially meet you!" "Come on then, lets get you home." Alex placed her hand on Pipers back, ushering her to the door and Piper flinched at the electricity that ran through her. Trying to keep her cool she walked to the door and opened it. The door flew open and a gust of wind took her breath away. Alex ran ahead and clicked her key. Orange lights blinked on an Audi just across from the door and Piper ran to climb in the passenger seat. She slammed the door shut and breathed deeply.

"Whoa, Its pretty bad out there, I hope it calms down before tomorrow!" Alex looked over at her and laughed, she reached out her hand and pulled a leaf from Piper's hair.

"You don't have to take the street home with you, y'know" she sniggered. Piper reached up and flattened her hair out.

The journey home was only 10 minutes but it seemed like an eternity. She could smell Alex's sweet perfume every time she moved. Her heart was pounding the whole way and she couldn't seem to breathe properly because she was so anxious. She tried to think about the soft beat of the music that was playing from the speakers.

"So, Pipes, where's home?" Piper's stomach filled with butterflies upon hearing this new 'nickname' Alex had given her.

"Its on seventh street, its in the apartment block there, do you know it?"

"Um, Yeah! I live just 2 blocks down from there! Nice choice Pipes. Its a good area."

The car came to a stop outside the building and Piper fumbled for her keys in her bag.

"Uh, Thanks Alex, I appreciate the ride..." She opened the door and just as she was about to close it Alex spoke.

"No Probs, Pipes, Just return the favour and stop by the restaurant tomorrow for a coffee, no need to hide behind your laptop screen now, just ask for me" She smiled slyly, she knew this would make Piper squirm. Piper's eyes widened and the door closed the rest of the way. She watched the car pull down the street, her heart pounding with the confirmation that Alex had known she was watching her.

She made her way up the stairs, opened the door and almost fell over her bags. Typical. The apartment smelled nice, like someone had been burning scented candles. Good job she had hired that cleaner the week before, to get everything in order before she arrived. She kicked off her shoes and peeled off her jeans. Just as she was jumping into bed she noticed a piece of paper sticking out of the front pocket of her bag.

"what's that?" she said out loud to herself as she crawled out of bed and pulled it the rest if the way out.

"In case you need a lift home again, here's my number. 202 555 0120 ;) Al x

"When did she put that in here!?" Piper's thoughts swirled as she lay back into the bed. She picked up her phone. 10% Battery. "Oh well, no chance I'm charging that without power" she thought. She opened messages.

"Thanks for the lift home, all tucked up in bed safe! Have a good night. Pipes x"

Her thoughts moved to Alex. God, she looked so good in those jeans. She smelled so good in the car. .

"what the hell am I doing even thinking about another woman?" She fell asleep fairly quickly, exhausted from the days events and anxious about the next.