Welcome & I do hope you enjoy this – remember, this is AU/OOC. The possibility of more Zen One-Shots depends purely on my muse. Song Lyrics are in Bold; written from Alex's POV.

As I slowly cross the state of dream into the state of consciousness, I become aware of my surroundings. Become aware of the woman in my arms. Her sweet smell instantly hitting all of my senses as they wake from their sleep.

I am in bed, with a very naked Piper draped halfway across my back - one leg hanging to the side of my hip and her arm tucked under my shoulder. I do my best to very, very slowly move myself out of the bed, trying to disturb Piper as little as possible. Making my way out of the bedroom, I close the door behind me and head downstairs. Knowing that I would run in the morning, I moved my essential running gear to the downstairs bathroom before bed last night.

Walking down the stairs as quietly as possible, memories of the evening before come rushing to the forefront of my mind. I met Piper's closest friends for the first time last night and it was an overall success of an evening, to say the least.

I walk into the bathroom, relieve myself, brush my teeth & fill up my Nalgene with water. Seeing as I am naked minus a sports bra, boy-short panties & a pair of socks, I add on a long sleeved shirt, replace my panties with running shorts and slip into a pair of new socks. I laugh to myself as I think about how much Piper dislikes that I wear socks in bed. I drink my water as I stretch then, tie my sneakers & head out the door.

My feet start to pound the pavement & I quickly get lost in my thoughts. This is the best part of running - the simple time with my thoughts. The past few months have been a bit of a whirlwind. Never would I have imagined that a one-night-stand would turn into a legit, long distance relationship. With the distance, and both of our over-commitment to our jobs, our time together - and not over the Internet - has been limited.

Rounding the corner, I get more in sync with my thoughts, floating again to the previous night spent with Piper. She brought me to meet her core group of friends - the very first time we have associated with them. They are all great people who truly care about Piper. Watching her let her hair down, surrounded by her friends, was such an eye opener for me. Even seeing her with Polly, is so different than seeing her with these friends.

With Piper on my lap, we sat around with her friends, talking & joking. There was always a part of us that was touching and the fact that we had to keep it PG for so many hours, was difficult for us both. The time spent in each other's company was always so limited, that it always felt as if we were battling the inevitable goodbye.

One of the guys brought out his vaporizer and everyone started to enjoy the sweet escape that the high-quality weed brought. As I took a hit, I turned to Piper, taking both of her cheeks in my hands. She knew what was coming and opened her mouth just enough for me to shotgun the hit into her mouth. Seeing her eyes slowly close as the weed moved from my mouth into her own, caused the already growing ache between my legs to ache even more.

There is just something so unbelievably hot about shot-gunning to a beautiful woman and doing so with Piper, was no different. Perhaps the feeling was even more enhanced, thanks to the multiple hours of minimal touching & kissing we had endured.

I can feel my legs really getting into the run as I turn around to head back toward Piper's place. I know she will not sleep too late and I don't want to be gone for too long. My flight back home is this afternoon and I want to get as much time in with her as possible.

After our evening out last night, we crossed a threshold that we had not yet crossed up until this point. The sex was no longer sex - the fucking was no longer fucking. Last night, we moved to a new level for us both. The slow, sensual connection we shared, was unlike any other. At least unlike anything that we had shared up until this point in time. I find myself falling for this girl more & more every day, slowly creeping down the rabbit hole they call love.

I finish up my run and slowly enter the townhouse again. It is still dark inside, as I make my way back into the bathroom. I down a glass of water, stretch and get out of my now sweaty clothing. Moving into the kitchen, I hear music starting to play, signaling to me that Piper is awake and has turned on the Sonos. The familiar sound of The Cure, let's me know that Piper has selected 'Our Mix' as well.

"Show me how you do that trick

The one that makes me scream" she said

"The one that makes me laugh" she said

And threw her arms around my neck

"Show me how you do it

And I promise you I promise that

I'll run away with you

I'll run away with you"

I prep the coffee pot and turn to the refrigerator to pour a glass of iced tea for myself. The iced tea maker was a new addition since my last trip to Piper's place. And the thought of said new addition, warms my heart. From behind my back, I hear Piper's voice. That sexy, slightly seductive voice of hers asking me a question,

"How do these look on me?"

I turn around and immediately find myself smirking. Piper is standing on the stairs - her hair in a messy bun, strands of it falling from the bun and onto her shoulders. My eyes move down her body, over her already erect pierced nipples & down to her panties. Or should I say my panties. Piper is wearing a pair of my black boy shorts - and nothing more.

And damn, does she look good.

Another thing so hot about a woman? When they wear your clothes – especially when those clothes just so happen to be a pair of panties that were sitting very innocently in your carry-on not so long ago.

I would have never guessed that I was into pierced nipples but on Piper, added in with the fact that her nipples are beyond sensitive, have become one of my favorite physical aspects of Piper.

"Why don't you turn around so I can see them in full?" I say to Piper, as I place my glass of tea down on the counter.

Piper proceeds to very slowly twirl around, allowing me full view of her perfectly round, petite ass in the tight, slightly stretchy panties. My eyes frantically move around her body, desperately seeking to take it all in...to commit it to memory. The slight outline of Piper's sinewy form is so apparent on her back and the chakra tattoo leading down her spine, turns me on even more so.

As she slowly turns back around, I allow my eyes to continue their drinking in of her form, feeling myself getting more & more turned on. I remove my glasses from my face, placing them on the counter next to my tea glass and make my way toward her.

There are so many colors that I still try to hide while I paint

And there are so many tunes that I secretly sing as I wait

You come along and invite these parts out of hiding

This invitation is the one that I've stopped fighting

My hands make contact first, grasping onto her hips just above the hemline of the panties. As she is still standing on the stairs, I tilt my head up toward her, enjoying the new vantage point in our difference of heights. Her soft, semi-warm skin below my fingers feels intoxicating, as my fingers slowly grasp onto her hips, my eyes locking in with her own eyes, getting lost in the sea of blue.

As we lock in our eyes, I say to her, "I think these are keepers. They look much better on you than they look on me."

I see Piper crack a smile as she tilts her head down to meet mine. Our lips slowly touch, ever so gently locking in a slow kiss. I keep my hands on her hips, as I ever so gently suck onto Piper's upper lip. The feeling of her lips locked into mine, is almost too much to take. Piper's hands come to rest on my shoulders as I feel her tongue run against my lip, slowly making its way into my mouth. A moan escapes from my mouth as our tongues began the slow dance together.

Save tonight

Fight the break of dawn

Come tomorrow

Tomorrow I'll be gone

Save tonight

I can feel my arousal continuing to increase as my hands make their way up Piper's sides. Running my fingertips against her ribs, I take in all of the feeling of her super soft skin. The kisses are different today. They are slower...more drawn out...more soul touching good. I want to take all the time in the world kissing & enjoying this feeling but, as I continue to run my fingertips over her skin, I know I need to taste her.

Words aren't needed - our bodies are saying everything that our minds are thinking.

My hands make their way to the front of Piper's body, running my fingers along the underside of her boobs. I know as soon as I get to her nipples, it will be fast & furious so, I allow my hands to take her breasts as a whole...feeling the slight weight of them under my touch. Piper's hands seem to be suspended on my shoulders, so zoned into the feelings that my hands are emitting into her.

I start to step closer to Piper, guiding her to sit down on the stairs. Once Piper has set back on the steps, I position myself on my knees, on a stair below her, and continue the tongue dueling within our mouths. My hands move to her thighs, slowly tracing the skin from her knees, up her thighs and back again. She shifts her weight so her legs are open even more, wordlessly inviting me in.

Could you whisper in my ear

The things you wanna feel

I'd give you anythin'

To feel it comin'

Our mouths continue to move in sync, as we nip & suck on the others lips. I allow my tongue to spend further time in her mouth as I move my hands to the hem of the panties, dipping my fingers in just under the waistband. Moving my mouth from her mouth, I begin to nip & suck my way down her neck. Spending time near her collarbone, my hands reach into her panties, feeling her shift her weight up, and I slide them down her long legs, tossing them behind me.

My eyes open for the first time since we got to the stairs, and I glance into Piper's. Piper's eyes are becoming darker by the second, watching me descend down her body. I lift Piper's right leg to a higher step, moving my body down a step as well and take a look into her core. Her pussy is literally pulsing, dripping wet in anticipation of what's to come. My eyes seek to take it all in - from her bare mound to her perfectly pink lips to her bud of a clit dying for attention to be paid to it.

I lean forward into Piper's body, effectively feeling her arousal, as I give each nipple a bit of attention - feeling its strain against the metal stud. The combination of the cold metal stud, and her warm nipple, adds even more so to my arousal. I don't spend long on her nipples knowing that if I do, she will come undone before I have gotten to taste her...before I've gotten my fill.

As I come face to face with her desire, my eyes still open, locked in with hers, I take a moment before diving in. Resting my hands on her thighs, I stayed locked with her eyes as I reach my mouth down and place my tongue at her opening, effectively licking her from core to clit. And damn, does she not taste delicious.

Our eyes stay locked together as I see her move her hands up to touch her own nipples, my tongue making its way around her lips, always circling back to her core, simply not getting enough of her taste. Thrusting my tongue into Piper, I can feel her arch her center forward, seeking even more contact.

I eat her long & slow...taking it all in...stopping to touch her clit with my tongue only every so many passes. She is straining to keep her eyes open - staining to continue touching her nipples - straining to not cum undone. I know that as soon as I focus on her clit, she will not last and I want to make this last as long as possible.

Said woman take it slow, and it'll work itself out fine

All we need is just a little patience

Said sugar make it slow and we'll come together fine

All we need is just a little patience (patience)

Mm, yeah

My chin is dripping, my tongue soaked in arousal and Piper's breathing begins to pick up. I can feel her getting closer & closer - her eyes are barely open - she is fighting it - fighting to stay locked in with me as I bring her over the edge. Knowing she cannot take much longer, I move my tongue to focus solely on her clit...taking it into my mouth and sucking, then bathing it with gentle circle eights.

It doesn't take long to bring her right to the edge. I let out a moan, as I simply cannot continue to hold it in. The vibration of the moan against my lips - against Piper's clit - is the final straw as she finally lets go and cums.

"Fuck Al!" pours of out Piper's mouth, as I continue to suck & circle her clit, riding through her entire orgasm with her. I keep my mouth locked onto Piper until the sensation is simply too much and I feel her start to pull me up to her. Resting myself firmly in between her legs, I kiss & nip my way up to her, landing on her lips and taking them in a deeply sensual kiss.

The feeling of her orgasm on my chin - on my lips - on my tongue, the taste so sweet & like nothing I have ever had before - on my abs, brings my arousal to a new state all in itself and I know that I will need more.

I know that this cannot be goodbye for this trip. I know that I will never get enough of this gorgeous specimen who lays beneath me.

Our tongues mix with each other, a soft & gentle kiss, bringing Piper fully down from her orgasm, until she pulls away and rests her forehead against mine. We stay like this for a moment - just stay in the feeling of each other - the feeling of skin on skin, of soul upon soul.

Piper's lips turn into a smile as she pulls back from me and looks me in the eyes. We are both feeling it. This was different. This was so different than it's been before...even different than it was last night. This is something more. And while we both know it's different, we both know we are desperately trying to keep it from being more.

I've been stuck in this whirlwind

My life's been spinning round my head

Long distance conversations

Make up for me not being there

And now I'm coming home

I'm coming home to you again

After what feels like an eternity - but is truly only a few moments - the spell is broken and we are both brought back to variety. My departure is impending. Our time left is ticking away.

"Up for a shower?" Piper asks me as she leans into my neck.

I feel her hot breath on my ear as I hear her continue to speak, "I'd say that means you like the panties on me. Let me show you how much I love them on you."

Piper moves to stand so I lean back to allow her to fully stand on the stairs. She reaches her hand down, taking my hand in her own, and swiftly bringing me up the stairs with her.

As much as we are both trying to avoid this becoming more, we both know that ultimately – this becoming more – is simply inevitable.

Song Lyrics, in order of appearance:

Just Like Heaven: The Cure

Empathy: Alanis Morissette

Save Tonight: Eagle-Eye Cherry

Slide: Goo Goo Dolls

Patience: Guns N' Roses

Coming Home: New Found Glory

A very special thank you to SaintSavory & JessTerr. And of course a thank you to Yoga Chick and to all of you for spending the time to read this, as it literally poured out of me, essentially writing itself.