The dinner had ended and the two women were standing outside. The limo pulled up and Alex held the door open for Piper.

The blonde looked at her and smiled, "Well, thanks for dinner, Alex. And for the limo. I…"

"We're not done here, kid."

"We're not?"

Alex shook her head, "Get in."

Piper climbed into the limo without another word as Alex followed her inside.

They sat in the back seat waiting for traffic to clear. Piper looked at the window and then back to Alex, "So where to now?"

"You'll see." Alex smirked at Piper. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How do you know Nicky? I mean, how exactly did you two-"

"Become friends?" Asked Piper. Alex laughed and nodded her head. Piper looked down at her hands and sighed. "I met her at a party when I was at Smith. She was a friend of a friend. I got pretty drunk at the party and her and I sort of hooked up."

"You 'sort of' hooked up?"

"Yeah…we made out and she got to second base and was just about to get to third but then I threw up on her." Piper put her hand over her face remembering the embarrassment. "Anyway, I ran into her again at this local coffee shop a few days later and we ended up talking and really hit it off. That's when I realized she was better off as a friend."

Alex nodded, "That makes sense, I guess." She looked out the window and then over at Piper, "So, uh, how many…um, how many girls have you been with?"

"Wow. Uh, I've hooked up with girls but I've only dated one girl."

"And what happened with that?"

"She wasn't a big fan of the fact that I also liked boys and she constantly reminded me of it anytime a guy would talk to me. I guess she was just insecure."

"How long?"

"About a year and a half." Piper looked straight into Alex's green eyes. "It's been a few years since I've been with a woman which is why I'm not afraid of you."

"You sure about that, kid?" Alex asked cocking an eyebrow.

Piper narrowed her eyes at her and asked, "Where are we going exactly?"

"Jesus fuck, kid, you don't like surprises do you?"

"I like surprises from people I've known more than a couple months."

Alex laughed and adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose. She nodded to the window, "We're here. Come on."

Alex climbed out of the limo as Piper followed her. They were at a large building in lower Manhattan. Alex walked to the front door and looked over her shoulder at Piper who was still standing by the limo. "You coming?"

Piper licked her dry lips and nodded.

They walked into a large elevator and stood silently together.

The brunette smiled as she looked down at her feet, "You asked me a shit load of questions at dinner and in the limo and now you're silent? Aren't you a little curious as to why you're here?"

"Of course I'm curious." Piper stared at Alex. "What is the place?"

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Alex stepped out and began walking down a long hallway, "My studio."

Piper's eyebrows shot up, "You're what?"

"My studio." Alex unlocked a large door and opened it walking inside.

The blonde couldn't believe what she was seeing. The room was very large but filled with canvases and every different color of paint imaginable. It was cluttered and messy but somehow looked perfect and amazing.

"What do ya think?" Alex asked as she set her keys on a small table.

"I…I…" Piper continued to gawk at everything. She walked around and looked at every painting Alex had.

"I'll be right back. Make yourself comfortable." The brunette disappeared into a back room.

Piper threw her purse on a beaten up couch in the corner and took a seat. She relaxed as she continued to look on at the paintings. She couldn't believe she was in a famous artists studio. She couldn't believe she was allowed to witness the behind the scenes stuff of Alex's work. She knew Nicky would kill her just for being there.

She stood up and looked out the large window. She didn't realize how high up they were until she could see all of the city spread out before her. Everything was lit up and she smiled feeling how happy she was just looking at it.

"It's fucking incredible, right?" Alex asked as she walked back into the room carrying a gift.

"Yeah it is…" Piper trailed off as she turned around and saw Alex standing before her. She had pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail and was wearing an apron covered in paint splatter. "What's that?"

Alex smirked and handed it to her, "Why don't you come over here and see for yourself, kid."

Piper walked over to her and grabbed the gift. She began unwrapping it quickly and gasped when she saw the beautiful abstract painting before her. It was on a 15 in x 15 in canvas and was as colorful as a painting could get.

"I figured you could hang it in your new house or office or something." Alex looked at Piper curiously. "You like it?"

Piper was at a loss for words. She licked her dry lips and nodded as she met Alex's green eyes, "Very much. It's stunning…but…why?"

A deep chuckle filled the room. "I told you I wanted to apologize for being an asshole."

Piper looked down at the painting, "Thank you, Alex."

The two women smiled at each other and there was an awkward silence before Alex looked at the clock on the wall.

"I should get you home. Larry is probably wondering where you are."

Piper nodded and tucked the painting under her arm as Alex took her apron off. They walked out to the limo in silence and even sat in silence on the ride back to Brooklyn.

Once they pulled up out front Piper's brownstone, Alex nodded her head, "Nice place."

Piper looked at her house and then back at Alex, "Thank you, again. And not just for the painting but…I actually had a nice time tonight."

Alex smiled at her, "Me too. Thanks for agreeing to come with me. You're surprisingly good company, kid."

"Uh, thanks?" They laughed before Piper opened her door and stepped out. She stuck her head back in and said, "By the way, I don't need a fancy carriage. I'm not Cinderella. Goodnight, Alex."

Piper closed the door and smirked to herself as she walked up to her front door. Alex stared at her the entire time knowing she was referring to the limo. She leaned her head back against the seat and let out a loud sigh followed by a laugh.

XXX

Two weeks later…

Piper was typing away on her computer at work when Nicky strolled in and plopped herself down on the chair in front.

"Hey, Nick. I didn't know you were stopping by."

"I was in the neighborhood meeting up with one of the most boring business men I've ever met."

"That bad, huh?" Piper asked as she took a sip of her coffee.

"You don't even know the half of it. If that building wasn't so damn perfect then I wouldn't need to meet with those two duds."

"Which building is it again?"

Nicky sat up in the chair, "Remember that bar we looked at in Williamsburg? The one with all the fucked up brick and broken lights and shit?"

"Oh, yeah! I liked that place." Piper smiled. "Those guys own it?"

"Yep. Apparently it was supposed to make them look cool or something but let me tell ya, nothing could make those two look cool."

Piper chuckled as Nicky glanced around her office. Her eyes landed on a small painting hanging on the wall. She stood up and walked over to it.

"She's definitely talented." Nicky turned around and looked at her friend. "Why don't you get another painting for your other wall?"

"I would love to but I haven't heard from her in two weeks."

Nicky laughed as she sat back in the chair, "Are you expecting her to drop by again and sweep you off your feet?"

Piper glared at her, "She didn't sweep me off my feet…"

"Well, you clearly didn't see the look on your face that night."

"Would you shut up!"

Nicky raised her hands, "Sorry. I'm sorry."

"Besides, I called her studio and some random guy answered the phone telling me she was out of town so I can't get a new painting."

"Huh." The bushy haired woman looked at her watch. "Well, I'll let you get back to the soap business. If you want, Lorna and I are going out tonight if you and Larry want to come with us."

"Thanks but it's date night for us and we're going to the movies."

"Date night?"

"Yeah. Every Friday night."

"Since when did you become on old married couple?"

Piper threw a pen at her friend, "Bye, Nick!"

Nicky laughed and walked out of her office.

XXX

"Do you want a large Coke or medium Coke?" Larry asked as he stood in line at the concession stand.

Piper looked at him and shrugged, "Large is fine. It's a pretty long movie."

They ordered their snacks and made their way into the theater. Thankfully, it wasn't crowded yet so they chose a few seats in the very back.

"How's the writing coming, babe?"

Larry swallowed his popcorn, "So far so good. My editor seems intrigued about whatever the fuck is happening down on wallstreet."

"You're becoming a stealthy reporter. I feel like I'm dating someone out of Watergate." Piper smiled as she kissed his cheek.

Larry laughed, "Well, I have always thought of myself as Bob Woodward."

The couple shared a kiss before Piper broke away suddenly.

"Pipes? You okay?"

A familiar laugh was heard in the theater. Piper looked around the dim room looking for the source. She spotted her. A tall raven haired bespectacled beauty sitting near the front. Piper watched Alex with a smile on her face.

Until she realized that Alex wasn't alone.

She watched the brunette place her tattooed arm over the shoulders of some dirty blonde haired chick. The mystery woman leaned into Alex and whispered in her ear causing that familiar laugh again.

Larry waved his hand on front of Piper, "Piper?"

She shook her head and looked at him, "Y-yeah? Sorry…I thought I, um, saw someone from work."

The lights in the theater turned down and the movie began to play. Everyone in the crowded theater was engrossed in the action thriller but Piper couldn't stop looking down at Alex and her date.

She watched them whisper to each other and snuggle up together. She watched Alex share her popcorn with the woman. She watched the woman run her hand along Alex's jean clad thigh.

Piper wasn't sure why she was suddenly feeling angry given that she was supposed to be enjoying her date night with Larry but she couldn't take her eyes off the couple.

Twenty minutes into the movie, Alex stood up and left the theater. Piper whispered to Larry that she'd be back and she got up and left as well.

She walked out into the lobby looking for the brunette but didn't find her so she made her way into the restroom.

Alex was standing over a sink washing her hands. She hadn't noticed Piper walk in. Thankfully, they were the only two in the restroom.

Piper crossed her arms over her chest as she moved further into the bathroom, "Fancy seeing you here."

Alex jumped a little and turned toward the blonde. She smiled as she turned the water off, "Hey, you! Long time, no see."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Huh?"

Piper walked closer to her, "So, how was your trip?"

"How did you-"

"I called your studio wanting to get another painting and someone told me you were out of town."

"Ah." Alex nodded her head as she pushed her glasses up on her head.

"So, how was it?"

Alex furrowed her brows as she studied Piper, "Are you mad or something?"

"No."

"You seem mad."

"I'm fine." Piper let out a frustrated sigh. "You're not answering my question."

"My trip was good. Great, actually. Thanks for asking." Alex smirked as she took a step to the woman in front of her. "How are things, kid? You here with Gary?"

"Larry. And who the fuck else would I be here with on a Friday night?"

"Whoa! Easy, kid. No need to get pissed at me." Alex walked around her to dry her hands.

"And who are you here with?"

"Jodie."

Piper snickered.

"Something funny about that?"

Piper shook her head as she smiled, "So, you go out of town and meet Jodie and then bring her to the movies? Man, you are a charmer!"

Alex walked over to Piper and cocked an eye brow, "Did I do something to piss you off? Because the last time I saw you, you seemed pretty happy with me."

"No, you haven't done anything to piss me off. You asked me to dinner, had a fucking limo pick me up, wined me and dined me, told me you like hanging out with me, took me to your studio, gave me a fucking painting for free and then drove me home." She uncrossed her arms and licked her lips. "And then you disappear for a few weeks and now I get to sit in a cold theater pretending to watch a shitty Matt Damon movie while you do the same thing to some other girl. So, why would I be pissed at you?"

"You're seeing the same movie?" Alex asked.

Piper nodded.

"Okay, listen..."

Piper held up her hand, "Don't bother. I guess the person I had dinner with was completely full of shit. Thanks for showing your true colors, Alex. Enjoy the movie."

She walked past the brunette before Alex could say anything.

Alex stood in the bathroom completely dumbfounded. "Fuck." She whispered to herself before walking out of the bathroom and back into the theater.

Okay, I know it's short and I've been MIA for awhile but I'm back now and the next chapter will be longer. I promise.

xoxo