This story is a sequel to Sometimes Good Girls Do Finish First (rated M). I strongly recommend you read that before starting this one as the character and situation development is there. Many of the OITNB characters I have developed for this story are non-canon. For those of you who read the prequel to this probably understand the progression of the character development. For those of you who don't like non-canon – and pure fluff, then this story is NOT the one for you. However I do hope you choose to read on. Thanks!

I want to try something different with this story. At the end of certain chapters, I will put a call out for audience participation for something that needs to happen in future chapters. If it works, I'll continue it. Many of us who write FanFic do so to control the outcome. I hope this idea works because we all deserve to have a say!

We have seen the rain together
We survived the pain forever
Oh it's good to be home again
It's good to be with my friends
Oh it's good to be home again
It's good to feel that rain

Alex and Piper had been married about three months now. Since quitting her job, Piper hadn't done much of anything but be a housewife, i.e. relaxing, ensuring Alex was well-fed and keeping Alex company during Alex's non-work hours. This was in an attempt to make up for all of time they had spent apart while Piper had been traveling for work and while Alex had gone to ensnare Kubra's drug gang. Alex had been gone less than a week, but that week had felt the longest in both of their lives. It certainly had been the most precarious. Regardless they had survived and ended the horrors that hung over from Alex's past.

Nights were sometimes difficult for Piper as reoccurring nightmares sometimes slipped in. Her worst dreams were not about shooting Aydin rather about losing Alex. There were a few different versions, the main one being Aydin slitting Alex's throat while laughing maniacally. Piper would be frozen in place, Glock in her hand. If she did manage to pull the trigger, the firing pin would click against an empty chamber. She'd pull the trigger back again. Click. Again. Click. She never could save Alex. Each time Piper began to call out or thrash about in her sleep, Alex would wrap as much of her body as possible around Piper and slowly bring her out of the dream with soft kisses and gentle strokes. Fortunately the dreams were happening much less frequently and hopes were that they would soon extinguish themselves as Piper became more confident that Alex was in her life to stay. Piper had seen a therapist for a short time but finally realized that all she needed… was Alex.

The pair had taken a few weekend trips around the country as short getaways and were in discussion on their next big vacation. Piper had gone to the travel agency and picked up some brochures about various places that she had been researching. She finally felt as though her life was gaining some resemblance of normalcy. For this, she was grateful. Alex deserved a wife that was not paranoid. Alex constantly tried assuring Piper that things were okay. Feasibly Piper's feelings stemmed from her previous independent nature.

Dinner was keeping warm on the stove top when Alex came home from work. Piper was putting the finishing touches on the salad. Kissing her wife softly, Alex nuzzled Piper's hair and whispered, "Have I told you how much I love coming home to you?" She embraced Piper whose heart was filling with warmth. She turned Piper around and gave her a much more proper kiss.

"You do every day Al." Piper giggled. "I am so glad that my days of work travel are over. It's nice to know I get to see you every day. I never knew how rewarding it would be to stay in one place." She reached up to quickly nibble Alex's earlobe. "Chili is for dinner and salad. Are you hungry?"

"I'm famished! You treat me so well Piper. I always knew you were a keeper." Alex playfully nipped Piper's cheek then retreated to ready for dinner. Soon they both were sitting at the table eating. "This is amazing Pipes. Perhaps you should look into being a chef."

Piper scoffed. "Sometimes you are so silly Alex. I only like to cook because it makes you happy. I wouldn't want to do it for a profession though!"

"Speaking of occupations, how about this?" Alex pulled a flyer from her pocket and handed it to Piper. "The center is starting a GED program and is looking for someone to run the program as well as teach. It would be part time for now. What do you think? You know you don't have to work. But I thought this might be right up your alley. You've mentioned getting back into the workforce several times recently."

Piper took the flyer and mused the job description. "I could probably do part time, ease back into things. And this would still give me time to work in the gallery. But I don't want to take on anything that will cut into our time together. I'm used to seeing you every day, and I refuse to give that up."

When Piper accepted her marriage proposal, Alex had secretly bought the three story warehouse in which Piper lived on the third floor as a surprise wedding present. They fully renovated the second and third floors to a full three bedroom residence. The third floor remained in the classic rustic warehouse style while the second floor was much more modern and finessed. When purchasing the building, Alex always had plans to create some sort of business on the first floor.

Alex had worked with Michael, the former resident artist to curate art for the local GLBT center at which Alex worked. Now Alex had grand ideas of creating a gallery on the first floor where they could assist hand-selected new artists with showings to help jump-start their careers.

The gallery showings would be unique in that they would be by invitation only. Advertisements would go out to the select customer list. If a buyer was interested, they would pay a fee to attend. Works sold would have no commission attached. Artists would retain all monies from their first set of sales and would have exposure to a unique set of buyers. This was an excellent opportunity to help develop the art community. Because of the unique nature of the showings, an artist would only be invited to show at the gallery once. If the artist was able to sell particularly well, they would donate one piece to a local charity or school.

Many of Piper and Alex's trips were combined with gallery business to see various works of art. Most of the final decisions on which artists were invited were made by Michael based on Alex's recommendations. Between Michael and Alex, they had amassed a potential client list of amazing proportion. Piper did not have the experience with art as Alex, but her organizational skills were phenomenal. So currently she was working on establishing databases of artists and buyers categorized by specific interests.

Working part time at the center would still allow Piper the time to organize showings while giving back to the gay community in the non-profit sector. With the target date for the first showing to be in about three months, she had plenty of time to get the GED program and the center started, that is, if she were hired that is. Her life was finally taking structure and meaning again.

Lyrics: I Have Seen the Rain, Pink featuring James T. Moore, I'm Not Dead

Where would you like to see Piper and Alex go on their next big vacation? It will be about 7 to 10 days. You can give me just a location or you can give me ideas of what they should do on their trip. What's your dream vacation for them? Feel free to leave your ideas in a comment or a PM. The idea(s) selected will be used for Chapter 3.