Thank you all for the reviews. Without further ado, here is the next chapter.

Nine

Piper spent the night with Stella's eyes on her as she made nice with Alex. They laid in Alex's bunk, not saying much but kissing occasionally and rubbing their feet together. As time passed, the other bunks filled in, getting ready for the night to be over. After some time, Alex ran a lazy finger down Piper's face. She was getting sleepy.

"Can you stay until I fall asleep?" Alex mumbled, not willing to take her eyes off of Piper.

"I'll stay forever," Piper whispered sadly.

It didn't take long for Alex to fall asleep in Piper's arms. Piper felt sick. She hated herself. She didn't know how she was going to even tell Alex about Stella. She sure as hell hadn't figured out how she was going to tell Stella about Alex. It wasn't hard to make a decision. Stella was new and Alex was home, but Piper wasn't sure she was quite ready to let Stella go just yet. She did like her. Stella made her feel giddy and excited and free and she was one of the few people who liked to talk as much as Piper did. She made Piper feel less alone in the very lonely world of the Litch.

Piper disentangled herself from Alex gently, being careful not to wake her, and she watched the brunette sleep for some time before she felt herself being watched. She turned around to come face to face with Stella, who was getting bolder by the day. Piper took a step to the side to create some distance, but she was already all-too-aware of the sexual tension building between them. She couldn't, she couldn't, Alex was right there and all of a sudden Stella's lips were on Piper's and they were kissing, sliding down the bunk walls quietly. Stella's hands were everywhere and it was too much for Piper, who couldn't forget about Alex, and she managed to rip herself away breathlessly.

"What the fuck was that?" Piper hissed, fixing her khaki shirt.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were giving me the eyes!" Stella whispered back sheepishly.

"God, maybe I was," Piper muttered before climbing into her bunk, feeling confused and agitated and anxious. Her heart was pounding. What if Alex would have woken up? How would she ever have been able to explain that?

Piper watched silently, heart thudding as Stella finally got to her feet. She looked hurt and she didn't make eye contact with Piper this time as she ascended. When she lied down, she gave her back to Piper and Piper spent the night tossing and turning, trying to sleep until she no longer could. Guards passed by every once in a while with slow, steady footsteps, making sure everyone was in their own bed. As day broke across the horizon, Stella finally rolled over and stared straight at Piper. Piper could barely keep her eyes open, and she was dreading the start of a new day. She had to go to work, but she felt as if she would barely be able to function. Stella chanced a glance at Alex, then made her way into Piper's bunk soundlessly.

"Didn't you get any sleep?" Stella asked in a whisper, glancing down at Red who was rousing and glaring at them suspiciously.

"No," Piper sighed, shaking her head.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Stella asked.

"No," Piper snapped, "What I want is for you to not be so fucking close to me. You are always so fucking close. I sent you to Max. What do you want from me?"

Stella stared at Piper, stunned. They could hear Alex rustling in her bunk, and Red shot Piper a warning glance.

"I don't know, Piper," Stella said, and the way her named rolled off the other woman's tongue sent chills down her spine. "I guess I want you to be nice to me, or at least stop being so hot and cold."

"I am not hot," Piper lied through her teeth. "I am an iceberg. I am so far from hot."

"Actually," Stella smirked, "You're pretty damn hot."

Piper stared at Stella, biting on her lip for a moment before shaking her head. It was too risky. It was morning and she knew Alex had to be awake; they were talking too loudly now.

"Fuck you," Piper said finally, hopping off her bunk and snatching her things for a shower before storming off.

Piper moved sluggishly for the entire morning. At breakfast, she missed her mouth several times and had to be kicked by Flaca to avoid her face slamming into the oatmeal glop.

"What's the 411?" Flaca asked with concern.

"I didn't sleep at all because Stella and I were making out on the floor like wild animals and then I laid in bed and felt guilty and sick and… horny."

"I didn't mean for you to go that hard, Chapman—look out, your girlfriend is coming."

Piper picked her head up to see Alex walking in, still rubbing sleep from her eyes and scanning the cafeteria for Piper. Piper waved at her, and she smiled and headed for the breakfast line.

"She don't know, does she?" Flaca asked.

"Obviously not. I seem to be playing high school very well, but now Alex wants to settle down and be adults," Piper sighed.

"That's no fun," Flaca pouted, "You just got your party started."

"Well, I have to start thinking of the future, and a future with Alex is very real. A future with Stella is questionable."

"Man, lesbos have so much drama. I'm glad I'm straight," Flaca smirked, shaking her head, "Men are so dumb, all you have to do is flash them your tits and they'll do anything."

Piper nodded in agreement as she continued her attempts to eat, and Alex joined them after a few moments.

"Pipes, you look like shit," Alex said bluntly, leaning over and brushing Piper's messy hair from her face.

"I didn't sleep last night," Piper repeated for a tiring third time that morning.

"Is everything okay?" Alex asked.

Alex was staring too hard at Piper. Her eyebrows were too narrowed and her touch a bit rough, and Piper thought back to Stella that morning.

"Stella tried to talk to me at the crack of dawn, so I'm in a bad mood, but otherwise, everything is fine," Piper lied.

Guilt gnawed at her again and she looked down at her tray. Thankfully, Alex didn't push it, but she did begin a game of footsies under the table to help keep Piper awake. Maybe she was just getting paranoid. How would Alex have found out?