They were waiting for Death to knock on the door. Piper and Alex were only too aware of their situation. This was the end.

Despite their dreary fate, they were completely calm. After all, they were together.

They had been regarding each other in silence for a while, hands intertwined, fingers stroking each other's skin, as natural as ever. Their bodies continued to react to each other's touch, as if unaware of their finish line right around the corner — or perhaps their fingers were aware, just trying to hold on and feel as much as possible before they would cease feeling forever. Their hands, used to wandering each other's skin, would surely be imprinted with one another's touch beyond their final breaths.

Their last and only thoughts were of each other.

'Alex, do you believe in alternate universes?'

This was coming from the Secular Humanist; the believer of science and evolution and everything that was real. Then again, it did always feel like the universe wanted them to be together, or that it simply couldn't keep them apart. They were always the realist and surrealist parts of each other's lives. It was a connection they could always feel, but there would never be enough words to describe its magnetism.

One last Piper Chapman ramble, even now Alex couldn't help but smile. 'What, like an alternate universe where we survive this?'

'Yes, that there are hundreds of different worlds where we meet and have adventures together.'

It was a comforting thought. Piper was always different. Right from the start. If it was a choice between living forever, infinitely, but without the other, or living once with the privilege of knowing each other, well then that was a simple choice... If they could know each other infinitely across all time and space? Alex only wished she imagined that earlier — although Piper being the one to say it made it extra special — she would never be bored imagining their eternal first meetings and adventures. There would have been a lot of opportunities for roleplay, too. Alex's smile widens at the thought.

'Like soulmates, huh?'

Piper nods. 'Destined to be together.'

'I'd like to believe that.'

Because one way or another, they always crossed paths and they would always connect and hold on, and always find their way back to each other, by choice more often than not. Every touch, smile, laugh, every spoken word or unspoken thought shared between them held so much more than what met the eye. They were on another level. They could never truly sever the bond between them. They would never want to try and stop it, not really. The thought that they were destined to be together, destined to fall in love, would endlessly occur to both of them.

'Me too... Think things always work out?'

'No, but I'm envious of the universes where it does.'

In a perfect life, they would never have to let go of each other. In a less than perfect life, they could still make each other happy. Any amount of pain was worth it. In the end, their love and their laughter outweighed anything heavy that may have happened between them. They understood each other completely... and that was effortless, an innate trait.

As Alex strokes Piper's cheek with light fingers, Piper melts into the touch and her own hand reaches to caress Alex's outstretched arm, because the opportunity is there and she doesn't need to think to take it. Piper whispers, 'Were these few years not long enough?'

'A lifetime would be too short.'

They move together in sync, leaning in to kiss one last time, hands caressing skin and hair and holding on to each other softly but desperately too. It was not unlike their other kisses, because really, they had always needed them, always wanted them to last forever.

They pull away just far enough to see each other clearly. They will never get enough of their shared gaze.

Piper's voice is still gentle as she speaks, 'I'm sure somewhere we've discovered invulnerability and will live for an eternity together.'

Alex's amusement is obvious, her adoration of the blonde even more so, and she's more than smitten as she stares at the love of her life — Piper's eyes are full of wonder. Even after years, they hadn't lost their awe for each other, the feeling that they were so lucky to be in love like this.

'You know what, Pipes? I wouldn't give up this moment for that eternity. You're my universe, right here.'

Her untouchable pride went out the window when it came to Piper. Alex was a hopeless romantic and she would admit it, because it wasn't a choice when it could produce such results:

One last sunshine smile, bright enough to light up even the darkest of moments, swelling up their hearts and taking their breath away. 'You know, I don't think there could be a single scenario where I don't fall in love with you. You're always inevitable to me.'

'You're always inevitable to me too.'

It's like Death, polite this time around, waited for their eternal vows to be shared between them. But Death came knocking far too soon in this universe.

'Al... Promise you'll find me in the next life?'

'I'll see you there, kid.'

Their last communication in this universe was a smile and an eye-lock that said: I love you forever and always.