Here comes Chapter 3! Yay! Which means more flashbacks. And once again, thanks for the support.
Piper woke up in a cold sweat, her breathing uneven. It was all just a dream. The mission, her meeting with Kubra, and Alex. Forget it all being a dream, it was more of a nightmare than anything. Piper pulled the baby blue bed sheets up to her neck and...wait a second. She didn't have any blue bed sheets. Hers were a cream color. She threw the covers off of her and jumped off the bed. The sudden movement caused her to go dizzy for a few seconds. As the room stopped spinning, Piper took in her surroundings. It was an average bedroom with a queen size bed, grey walls, and a few drawers. It was hard for her to distinguish where she was exactly. She began rummaging through a few drawers hoping to find out more about where she was. Based on the clothing she was in the room of a woman. Piper looked at the top of the dresser glancing at the knick knacks. She grabbed the picture frame, looking at the people in the photo. She almost dropped the frame out of shock, her hands shaking uncontrollably.
This wasn't right. The two people, the women in the picture consisted of a blonde and a brunette. It was of her and Alex. She remembers when they took the photo. They had only been dating for five months. But it had been Alex's 23rd birthday. That's why it was special.
Alex and Piper had been on a ferry for the past ten minutes, heading for The Statue of Liberty. Piper wanted to plan out a special day for the woman she loved. After all, it was her birthday. Who would thought an assassin like Piper was such a softie? She woke up Alex with breakfast in bed. Then they arrived at the docks to take the boat to the monument. And to end the day, Piper had made reservations to take Alex to an expensive Italian restaurant. She knew Alex would be mad at her for spending so much money on her but the paycheck from her last hit would be enough to take her on twenty of these dates, and still have some money left over. But Alex didn't know that. Alex didn't know a single thing about her real job. As at as she knew, Piper worked for an entrepreneuring company.
"So, how's work?" Alex asked curiously.
"So far, it's going good. It can be a little challenging sometimes, but it's for the good of the company, so I'm happy doing my job," Piper replied, a genuine smile on her face. It wasn't a complete lie. As a matter of fact, it was 100% true, only Alex thought she was talking about entrepreneuring and not killing. "So what about you? How has the bookstore been treating you?" Alex had recently been promoted to Assistant Manager in the last month and had been enjoying her job more than ever.
"It's great. But I actually wanted to talk to you about that." Piper tilted her head, her full attention on the woman in front of her. "I've decided I want to start a gallery. I've been wanting to do this for the longest time," Alex continued babbling and a small smile eased its way onto the blonde's face, "And I know what you're thinking, but I won't quit my managing job until I get the gallery up and running and…an-"
"Alex!" The brunette froze. "Listen, I don't care if you quit your job now or not. I'm really proud of you, babe. I give you my full support. After all, you amuse me, Alex Vause." Alex smiled, her eyes watering. She wrapped her arms around Piper's neck and whispered a 'thank you' into her girlfriend ear before pulling back and planting her lips on the blonde's.
The ferry pulled up to the dock and all the passengers got off. The two walked hand in hand to the front of the statue. Piper continued walking but was pulled back by Alex. "Wait. Can we take a picture? We can try and get Lady Liberty in the shot too." Piper nodded, thinking how lucky she was to be with this wonderful woman. Alex took the camera off her neck and asked a tourist if he could take a picture of them. They leaned closer together, their cheeks pressing against each other and watched as the camera flashed. The man walked closer and handed Alex the camera. They both thanked him, his response being a smile and a nod before he walked away. It was a perfect picture, with the two women smiling in the center and the Statue of Liberty looking as if she was watching over them. "It's perfect," Alex said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"It is. Just like you. Happy Birthday, Al," Piper said, pulling Alex in for another kiss.
Piper remembered that day like it was yesterday. She hoped that for the rest of her life she would never forget that day or any of the time she had spent with the tall brunette. What Piper couldn't get over, was that Alex still had this photo after all these years. "I'm still surprised that I have that picture after all this time myself." Piper jumped at the voice and turned to the source. The same woman she was just thinking about stood in the doorway of the bedroom, wearing a tank top and pajama bottoms. "Sorry for startling you," Alex said nonchalantly as Piper put the frame back in its original place.
"So it wasn't a dream. It was all real. Seeing you, the ki-"Alex interrupted.
"Yeah. It was all real," she said, trying not to dwell on the kiss, "By the way I'm sorry about that. I don't know what came over me."
"It's fine."
"Uhh...I'm not sure if you want to take a shower or something but if you do, the bathroom is down the hall, first door on the left. The green towel is the extra one. You can use that one. And honestly, you shouldn't go just yet. Well-I mean, you're probably still out of it, so yeah." Piper muttered thanks and walked out of the room. Even after Piper had left to shower, the brunette stayed planted in the same spot. The brunette sighed heavily, walking over to the dresser Piper was standing next to. She picked up the photo, walked over to her bed, and sat down. She stared at the photograph, thinking back to that day. She missed spending her days with the beautiful blonde. Alex was so lost in thought she didn't hear Piper re-enter the bedroom.
"I hate to ask, but do you have a change of clothes I could borrow?"
"Um, yeah hold on." Alex set the picture frame back where it belonged and pulled out a shirt and a pair of shorts out of one of her drawers. "Here," she said throwing them at Piper, "I'll just, uh...turn around." Piper nodded and turned around to face the wall and started changing. Alex tried to fight the urge to look at Piper while she was changing but failed miserably. She marveled at how her back muscles tensed and her arms flexed. But as Piper lifted the shirt over her head, Alex got a glimpse of a scar on Piper's left shoulder blade that she knew had a smaller, entry scar below the clavicle. After all, she stitched her up.
Alex was sitting on the couch reading a book with a cup of coffee by her side when she heard the front door open and slam. "Piper?" No response. "Piper, are you there?"
"Uh…yeah…I'm-I'm here," Piper said, taking pauses between each word. "Al, you…know how…to stitch and…sew, right?"
"Yeah? Why?" Alex asked, uncertain to what Piper would need stitched up. Sure she had sewn a pair of torn jeans or a ripped shirt, but nothing could have prepared her for what was to come. Piper stumbled into the living room, her breathing labored wearing black cargo pants, combat boots, fingerless gloves, and a bloodstained tee shirt. Alex dropped her book, and darted towards Piper. "Oh my god. Pipes, what the hell happened?" she asked, tears threatening to spill over.
"I'll tell you, but can you help me? The bullet passed through completely, so you won't have to worry about that, but I've lost A LOT of blood, and I can't afford to lose any more." Alex nodded and ran into the bathroom, searching for antiseptic and bandages. After getting that, she ran into her room to grab her sewing kit and some towels. Once she had gathered everything, she bolted back to the living room, to see Piper hunched over on the couch.
"Pipes?" Alex laid everything out on the coffee table and looked over at Piper who had her eyes shut. "Piper?! Can you hear me?" Tears flowed from the brunette's eyes leaving wet trails down her cheeks.
"I-I'm here, Alex. Don't worry," she replied, opening her eyes.
"Don't worry? Piper, you got shot! Of course I'm going to worry. But more importantly, why didn't you go to the hospital?"
"You're gonna laugh at me. It's such a stupid reason," she said chuckling.
"Piper, nothing about this situation is funny. So, no. I will not laugh at you." Piper tried to take a deep breath, but ended up wincing in pain.
"I'm afraid of hospitals. Everyone I've known who has gone to the hospital has either died before they got there or died in the hospital bed and left me alone. It's like a damn curse. And I'm afraid that if I'm other end of the situation, I'm going to leave someone alone. And I don't want that person to be you." They looked at each other as more tears fell from Alex's eyes.
"Okay." Alex said, wiping the tears away.
"Okay what?"
"I stitch you up." Piper nodded. "But can you explain how this happened?" Piper stayed silent as she pulled her top off. "Please, Pipes."
"I don't work for an entrepreneuring company. I do have a job, yes. But… I kill. For money. I'm an assassin, a hitman. All the times I would take you to another state or another country, it was because I had a job to do. But even after I was done, we stay a little while longer, just so you would be happy." Alex attempted to stay calm, but her shaking hands proved otherwise. "I would understand if you no longer wanted to be with me, ut allow me to say that I would be lost without you." Both women stayed quiet as Alex began wiping Piper's wounds with the antiseptic. The blonde winced as Alex inserted the needle into her skin. "Al, say something."
"Let me finish. Then we'll talk."
Fifteen minutes later, Alex finished stitching both bullet holes and wrapping each wound in bandages. She went to the washroom to wash the bloody towels as the blonde walked to their bedroom to grab another shirt. She almost put Piper's bloodstained shirt into the washing machine but she remembered the holes from the bullet. She tightened her grasp on the shirt before throwing it in the garbage.
She walked slowly into the bathroom that was connected to the bedroom she shared with her girlfriend, and washed her hands. She traveled the short distance to the bed, where Piper was sitting, facing away from her. "Are you ready to talk?" Piper asked, still keeping her back turned from Alex. Alex took a deep breath and sat down next to the blonde.
"Is it really true?" Piper nodded in response. "Okay. I'll stay. But if you're going to keep this job, you need to promise me one thing."
"For you, and for our relationship, I would do anything."
"You have to promise me that you will never come home like this, beaten, bruised, bloody, nothing. You have to come home in one piece."
"I promise."
After Piper was done changing, she turned around to face the brunette, only to see her staring off into space, her arms wrapped around her body. "Um, Alex?" Piper called out to her, snapping her out of whatever trance she was in.
"Oh, sorry."
"It's good. Look, you don't have to let me stay here, I can just take a cab back home."
"Take a cab? Where do you live?"
"I live on Columbus. I've lived there for the past two years. Why? Where are we right now?" Piper asked curiously.
"I live on Amsterdam Ave. For fuck's sake. We've lived two blocks away from each other and we never ended up seeing each other." Alex ran a hand through her dark hair and exhaled heavily. "Anyways, you can stay if you want. Besides, it's late."
"Thanks. I really do appreciate it," Piper said, smiling slightly.
"Do you want something to drink? I have coffee, water... tequila?" Alex asked, smirking slightly.
"Yeah. Tequila sounds good. I need a drink."
"Sure. It'll just be us for now. My roommate, Nicky, is out on a date with her girlfriend, and knowing them, they're gonna be gone for a long time."
Alex walked out of her bedroom to the kitchen with Piper right behind her. The brunette opened up the cabinet and pulled out the alcohol and two shot glasses. She poured out the drinks, handed one to the blonde and they both walked over to the couch. "Cheers," Alex said, both women knocking their glasses together lightly. Alex grimaced as the tequila burned her throat, while Piper reacted in no way whatsoever.
"If I remember correctly, weren't you a bit of a lightweight?" Alex asked refilling their glasses.
"I got more into drinking after we broke up. I guess I developed a higher tolerance," Piper replied, shrugging and downing another shot. Alex stayed quiet and stared at her hands and then at Piper's. She would drank her second shot but stopped herself, looking closer at the blonde's hands.
Piper raised her glass to her lips but was interrupted by Alex grabbing her hands and pulling them closer to her. Alex examined her hands, running her fingers along the burns on the blonde's palm and fingers. Piper jerked her hands away from the brunette.
"What the hell are you doing?!" she yelled, Alex flinching at her tone.
"Piper, where did these come from? Don't tell me you still have the same job, after all these years. Oh my god, you're the one who caused that explosion on Riverside!"
"So what if I do have the same job. And for your information, I didn't cause the explosion, the guy who did died before I could kill him." Alex took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose and Piper continued. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all of it. Believe me, I've tried getting out of this business for the past eight years. But there's not much I can do anymore. I've come so close to dying so many times and I would think that I would finally get out, but someone would come save my ass. And I fucking hated it."
"Do you think I could see?" Piper looked at her, confused. "You say you've almost...died several times, can I see? Please?"Alex pleaded. Piper put down her shot glass and began pulling her shirt above her head. Alex gasped as she got a full view of the scars that littered the blonde's body. Piper had multiple scars on her biceps, a large scar that started at the top of her collarbone and ended at her right breast, and larger and thicker scar on her side. She didn't want to imagine the old wounds she might have on her back. But there was one scar that made Alex tear up. A circular scar that was just above Piper's heart. "Did you go to the hospital for any of these?"
"Only this one," Piper replied, placing a finger on the scar on her chest, "but technically, it wasn't really a hospital, just the medical wing of the base for the other assassins. But I was terrified waking up in there. Piper put her shirt back on and poured her and Alex another shot. "Look, I don't want to talk about work, I just want to drink my sorrows away, can we do that?"
"Yeah. We can."
A bottle of tequila and a two stupid comedy movies later, both women were drunk, Alex more than Piper. Piper shut off the tv and looked at the brunette. She had ended up passing out an hour and a half into the second movie. Piper got off the couch and stretched out her legs. She lifted Alex off the couch and carried her back to her bedroom. She placed her on the bed and draped the covers over her body. Piper was halfway out of the room when she heard the other woman call out to her.
"Piperrrr."
"Yes Alex?" she asked smiling.
"Stay with me."
"I don't think I should. I'll just sleep on the couch."
"No, pleaseeee. Come be my little spoon." Piper tried to argue, but Alrx interrupted her. "No excuses. My house, my rules." Piper sighed and walked over to the bed, slipped under the covers and pressed her back against Alex's front. "Looks like Piper Chapman is still a big softie," she said, smiling and inhaling the blonde's scent.
"I guess I am."