Piper checked herself in the mirror one last time before exiting her bathroom and heading towards the door of her apartment. Grabbing her coat off of the hook, she made her way down the three flights of stairs and out into the streets. It was January, and any pretense that Piper'd had about walking to Brattman's quickly flew out the window when she noticed the snow falling onto her black pea coat. She hailed a cab, knowing she'd arrive to the bar early, but she refused to walk in the frigid temperature. She slipped into the cab and stated the familiar address and as the car pulled away from the curb and into the line of traffic, Piper's mind floated back to almost a year prior, when she'd walked into the bar looking for work and walked out with the hourglass of a woman who had completely flipped her world upside down. Piper smiled fondly at the memory. It made for a good story.

As the car came to a halt, Piper handed a few bills to the driver, stepping out into the cold and quickly making her way inside. She was 15 minutes early, but she smiled as she saw the familiar face nursing a bottle of beer at the edge of the room. She made her way over to the booth and slid in across from the other woman.

"Well this is a first, we're both early."

Polly laughed and nodded in agreement, "Right? Who'd have thought. If only our college professors could see us now."

"If they could see us now, they wouldn't be surprised, seeing as how alcohol is involved and all of our late arrivals back then were because of hangovers."

The two woman continued to laugh as a waitress appeared and Piper ordered her drink. They were discussing some of their new employees when the waitress returned, setting the margarita on the table in front of Piper.

"Where's Pete? I thought he was coming." Piper said, carefully picking up the glass and taking a small sip before licking the salt from her lips.

"Working late. Again. You know, it's strange, you'd think him being gone all the time would bother me. It doesn't and that scares me."

Piper's face turned from confused to concerned when she heard this. "What, are you unhappy? You've never said anything before."

Polly picked up her beer and swished the liquid around in the bottle. "I don't know. I don't think so. I think we're in a rut."

"I'm sure everything will be fine, Pol."

Piper watched as Polly's eyes flickered to the side, watching something behind the blonde, and Piper shuddered when she felt an all too familiar hand rub its way up her arm and onto her shoulder. "It's a little cold out for a margarita, don't you think?"

Piper snickered at the husky voice and the completely played out line. "Will you ever get tired of saying that to me?"

"Of course not. Hi." Alex said, leaning down and capturing the blonde's lips in a quick kiss before sitting down beside her and tossing her arm over the younger woman's shoulders. "So, what'd I miss, you two got here early."

"Polly and Pete are in a rut," Piper blatantly stated.

Polly narrowed her eyes at the blonde, "Jesus, Piper." Polly and Alex had become friends, but not the type of friends to spill secrets about their personal lives.

"What?" Piper questioned, confused. "It's nothing to be ashamed of Pol, it happens."

"She's right. It'll all blow over. You and Pete are totally right for each other," Alex added.

"Yeah, says the two teenage horndogs who are still having to use makeup to cover up their hickies. Don't think I can't see that thing, Piper Chapman."

Piper's hand flew up to her neck, covering Alex's love bite. Apparently her makeup hadn't disguised it as well as she thought it had. "You forget who I was engaged to before I met Alex. My life for those four years was the definition of the word rut."

Polly looked at the blonde incredulously, "Oh, wow, thanks Pipes, because that obviously turned out so well. That makes me feel so much better." Polly clicked her fingernails on the table before continuing. "Speaking of Larry, are you two still in touch?"

Piper stared at her best friend in bewilderment, wondering why she would even ask. She could feel Alex growing more uncomfortable by the second. "What? Fuck no! Why on earth would we be?"

Polly continued to click her nails on the table, not looking up to meet Piper's eye. "I was just wondering. He's a good guy, you know. I thought maybe you two could remain friends."

"What was with Polly speaking so fondly of Larry tonight? Did you notice that?" Piper asked her girlfriend as she stood in front of the brunette's dresser, removing her earrings.

"Yeah, I don't know. I mean, they were kind of friends, right? She was probably just curious."

"They weren't really friends. It was so strange." She paused for a moment when the idea popped into her mind. "You don't think there's something going on between them, do you?"

Alex's eyes widened slightly at the question as she considered it. Piper turned to look into the taller woman's eyes waiting for her reply, when they both burst into laughter.

"No way," they said in unison.

Alex sat on the edge of the bed and picked at her fingernails, a nervous habit. She wasn't sure how she should bring the subject up, but she didn't really have a choice in the matter, she had to tell Piper sooner or later. And since her plane left tomorrow afternoon, sooner was pretty much the only option she had.

She stood up off the bed and walked over to Piper, wrapping her arms around her waist from behind and pressing her body in the blonde's back. "So," Alex began, "I got a call today."

Piper could sense what was coming. Alex had been home for months without having to go away for business, and Piper knew she would be leaving soon. She just didn't think it would be this soon. Piper sighed and met Alex's eyes in the mirror, "Where and how long?"

"Cambodia," Alex replied with remorse, "three weeks."

Piper's eyes closed as she took in the information. Three weeks. She had seen Alex everyday for the past two months since they had reunited, and she wasn't prepared to let her walk out for three weeks.

"Fuck," Piper stated simply.

Alex just nodded and pressed her face into the side of Piper's neck, inhaling her scent. "I leave tomorrow afternoon."

Piper's head bowed in defeat. She knew this was coming, but it didn't make it any easier. However, this was Alex's job and there was nothing she could do about it but accept it. She turned in the brunette's arms and placed a light kiss on her lips and muttered a small, "Okay," before leaving the brunette's embrace and walking into the bathroom. Alex listened as the blonde turned the shower on and stepped inside. The older woman was taken aback by Piper's attitude about her leaving. Piper was obviously less than enthused, but she seemed oddly care-free about the whole situation. However, when she heard sniffles coming from inside the bathroom, she knew Piper was just trying to put on a strong front for the her. Alex sighed and began to shed her clothing, walking into the bathroom as she did so.

Piper's back was turned to the curtain as Alex pulled it back and stepped in, pressing her naked body into Piper's back. She turned the blonde to face her, noticing her red, puffy eyes. Alex sighed and she leaned forward, pressing light kisses to both of Piper's eyes and forehead. "I'm sorry."

Piper pressed the side of her face into Alex's chest and wound her arms tightly around the brunette's waist. "I know," she said, with a slight crack in her voice. "I don't even know why I'm being like this. It isn't your fault. I'm just not ready to be without you yet." Piper turned her head and kissed her way across Alex's chest and then up her neck and chin before taking Alex's mouth with her own in a slow, passionate kiss.

And that's when it hit Alex. Why should they have to be without each other? She would be just as lonely on her trip alone as Piper would be here at home. Yes, Piper had her business, but Alex was sure that she could do most of her work from any computer in the world. Plus, it was only three weeks she'd have to take off. Polly could handle everything for three weeks.

Alex's hands came up to clutch Piper's face as she grinned into their kiss. Piper sensed this and broke the contact, looking up at Alex. "What's so funny?"

"Come with me."

Piper had heard the three words before, when Alex had asked her to go to Bali with her. She'd had the same gleaming excitement in her eyes, as well. It was contagious and Piper couldn't help but smile in return. However, that trip was entirely different than the one Alex was taking tomorrow. Bali was a vacation. Cambodia would be business. Piper's smile faded slightly.

"What?"

"Polly can take care of the shop. You have employees, and we'll have access to the Internet. Come with me, I mean it." Alex dipped her head and pressed kisses along Piper's neck as the hot water pelted her back from above.

"Are you serious?" Piper's eyes fluttered as Alex's hands roamed all over her body in a frenzy.

Alex kissed her way down Piper's neck to the center of her breasts and planted a kiss right in the center of them, "Yes."

Alex then turned around and turned off the water. Turning back toward the blonde, she captured her lips in a feverous kiss. She wrapped her arm's around the younger woman's waist before moving her hands over her ass, cupping it roughly, then moving them down to the backs of her thighs and lifting the blonde, stepping out of the shower. Alex practically ran into the bedroom with Piper in tow, and threw her onto the bed, still soaking wet. Piper pushed herself up higher into the bed, resting her head on the pillows as she watched Alex crawl up the bed toward her, like a cat stalking its prey. Alex laid her naked form on top of the smaller woman and Piper gasped as Alex's hard nipples came in contact with her own. Their mouths met roughly, their tongues battling for dominance as they nipped and sucked at each other's lips.

Alex broke the contact and kissed her way down Piper's chest, admiring how erect her small nipples were before Alex had even touched them properly. She nipped at the base of Piper's breast before taking a long lick up to her nipple and sucking it roughly. "Come with me," the brunette repeated once more.

Piper let out a soft whimper as her hand clutched at the back of Alex's head, attempting to bring her even closer. She then pulled at the raven locks, causing Alex to break the suction of her nipple with an audible pop. She pulled her head back so that the older woman was looking into her eyes, "Will I get in trouble?"

Alex chuckled, but played off the serious question, "God, I hope so." The brunette lowered her head to lick at Piper's nipple again, when her head was forced back once more.

"You know what I mean."

Of course she did. Alex sighed and raised her face back level with Piper's, looking into her smoldering blue eyes, "You don't have to do anything," the brunette promised, raking her fingernails down her body just forceful enough to leave light red paths down Piper's breasts and stomach, "you're just there to keep me company."

Alex positioned herself between Piper's thighs, kissing a path down her stomach until her face was level with Piper's cunt. She spread the woman's thighs farther, and lightly licked her from front to back, earning a barely audible moan from the blonde. She placed a kiss right above Piper's clit, "C'mon, babe. I want you to come," the brunette spread Piper's lips with her fingers and pressed the tip of her tongue to her swollen bud, drawing quick circles around it, "and I want you to come."

With that, Alex sucked Piper's clit roughly into her mouth, batting it back and forth with her tongue. Piper's hands gripped at the sheets underneath her, her hips bucking against Alex's face and her back arching off the bed. "Uhhh.. Yes.."

Alex pulled away from Piper's flesh and smiled mischievously up at her, "Yes? Was that a yes?"

Before Alex could say anything further, Piper had her by the hair, forcing her face back into her center.

"Yes.. Yes."

"Flight 419 now boarding."

The two women heard the announcement over the airport intercom and rose from the seats and grabbed their carry-on bags. The two made their way onto the plane and took their seats in First Class. As the plane began to take off, Piper grabbed firmly onto Alex's hand. The blonde relaxed as soon as they were in the air and she looked to her right to meet her girlfriend's eyes, full of adornment.

"We're really doing this, huh?" The brunette smiled as she laced her finger's with Piper's.

"We really, really are."

Alex pushed a lock of blonde hair out of Piper's eyes, "I just hope you seeing my work in action won't scare you away."

Piper didn't know how serious Alex was when she made the statement or if she was just teasing, but she decided to play along anyway, "Please, you're gonna be wishing it would scare me away. I'm not going anywhere."

Alex just smirked and pressed a kiss to Piper's lips and then to her cheek before opening the novel she had brought for the plane.

Piper wrapped an arm around Alex's and gripped it firmly, "You're stuck with me 'til the casket drops, baby."

END

And there ya have it! I may or may not have a sequel in mind that I could possibly write for this.. It mostly depends on whether or not you guys want it or not, so leave me some feedback on that. Thanks to everyone who took the time to review/favorite/follow, it really means a lot. Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Until next time :)