As she rolled down the street, Alex saw Piper standing on the sidewalk, just under a street lamp. She had an absurd thought that it was like a spotlight glowing down on the blonde, made specifically for Alex to see. She stopped in front of her, setting the car on park. Reaching over, she opened the door to let Piper in.

Piper ducked and settled herself on the passenger seat. Her confidence began to waver as she stared straight ahead, feeling ashamed to even look at Alex. She deserted her because she was weak. She couldn't force herself to pretend. But was that so bad? she thought suddenly. Alex deserved raw, real emotions. She deserved everything she wouldn't have been able to give. She couldn't have fed her fake smiles and fake laughs. That wouldn't have been fair for either of them.

"A date for your thoughts?"

Piper finally looked up at Alex, who somehow looked even more ravishing than she remembered. Her tilted smile was there, and it did wonders to Piper's heart. "You choose the place," she answered.

Alex nodded, turning to face the front and drove. "I'll quickly go home and change then. Why were you in this area?"

Piper looked out the window, "It's where I used to live."

"Now, how could a college girl cleaning tables afford a mansion?"

"My parents."

Alex was getting irritated with the truncated responses. "Trust fund?"

"No," Piper told her. "Childhood home."

Alex frowned. She'd never mention her family before. "So why were you here? And why the fancy dress?"

"I'll tell you everything later. Please," Piper pleaded as she looked at Alex. "Please. I promise I'll tell you everything."

What hurt you? Alex thought as she kept her mouth shut, keeping her eyes on the dimly lit road. She adjusted her glasses, and felt Piper shift. Stopping at a red light, she turned her head to see Piper's head against the window, her eyes closed. She looked exhausted, Alex observed. Her hair fought valiantly to stay in place, but still frayed near the ends. She wanted to thread her fingers through it, wanted to offer her the comfort she knew she needed.

As she drove past a bistro and saw the sidewalk lined with people, she realised that most restaurants—the good ones—would also have a waiting line. It wouldn't be worth it, she thought. Her mind immediately went to her fridge and figured she could cook adequately enough for two. She changed lanes and turned left towards the grocery store.

As Piper felt the car's vibration stopped, she opened her eyes. Her headache finally came, a gnawing feeling. She frowned when she realised she wasn't at Alex's home. "Shopping? Are we going shopping?"

"I just have to get a few things," Alex said as she unbuckled. "You can just keep resting. I'll be right back."

Piper yawned and settled back down, "'Kay."

Alex jogged to the entrance, grabbed a trolley and made a beeline for the seasoning aisle. She wasn't exactly Gordon Ramsey, but she knew what she wanted. Picking off bottles of rosemary and parsley, she found a comfortable feeling in shopping. She remembered the few times she and Diane went to the store, but could only afford a basketful of goods. Alex never minded since it forced her to be picky and resourceful. What they lacked in quantity, they made up for in high quality results.

She continued down the aisle, grabbing a little something here and there. The pile in her trolley grew as she made her way through the store. She wondered if Piper had any allergies—she hoped not. She wanted to impress the woman, not hospitalise her. Humming contently to herself, she was about to turn another corner when she heard her name be yelled rather unattractively.

"Alex!"

She turned and saw Sylvie near the vegetables section, with a basket hanging on her arm. She noticed she had dyed her hair a lighter colour. She wore lace, and decided her whole appearance made her look even trashier than before. If that was possible, she mused. She smiled politely as the other woman strode toward her, fire in every step, hands curled into tight fists. She could practically see the flames in her eyes and nearly laughed out loud.

Sylvie stopped when they were toe to toe. She fought to keep her shaking hands at her sides. She never thought she'd see Alex again—or at least, not this soon. Instead of punching the tall woman, as menacingly as she could, she looked up and yelled, "Why the fuck are you here?"

Alex gestured to the trolley, "Grocery shopping."

"What the fuck? You never shop. You—"

"I have no time for you," Alex deadpanned and turned to walk away. She would've been disappointed if Sylvie didn't retaliate.

"You bitch. Get back here, you owe me at least—"

"I don't owe you anything," she said casually, pushing the trolley towards the meat section. She noticed people turning their way.

"You do! You fucking—"

"Sylvie, indoor voices, please. There are kids and old people around."

"Fuck you. Why—"

"Can I have those lamb chops please?" When she reached the counter, Alex pointed to what she wanted as the butcher looked on with peaking interest. "A few pounds should do it. Maybe 6 pieces? Thanks." She kept her laughing eyes on the butcher, who looked back at her in obvious amusement.

"Alex, I am talking to you."

Still looking forward, she replied, "I'm not talking to you."

"You fucking—"

"Stop." Finally, Alex turned to face her. The silent treatment was too much effort, and she wanted to leave as fast as she could. She lifted her glasses to the top of her head. She figured the woman would leave faster if she asked. "What do you want?"

"I—you—we broke up."

"What do you want?" she repeated.

Sylvie made a frustrated sound, "I don't know! I wanted you back, but now I don't. And—"

"Then that solves it. You can leave now."

"It does not! You've clearly been following me. Keeping tabs on me. I've seen Aydin around."

"Please," Alex scoffed. "I wouldn't waste his time with you. And don't flatter yourself. You were never that special."

"I've seen him around my house, Alex."

She sighed as she faced towards the counter. "Sylvie, you've met Kubra."

"So?"

"You know of his methods," Alex said quietly. "You know how he deals with loose ends."

Sylvie visibly paled, "Is he going to kill me?"

"Nah. Probably just keeping an eye on you if you decide to open your mouth. Which opens quite often, so I don't blame him for taking precautions. But if I were you? Hide out for a few days. Keep out of trouble. Keep your life while you're at it."

"Maybe start now," Alex finished.

Sylvie bolted away from the woman like a hot fire. Alex chuckled and reached forward as her lamb chops were handed over.

"That nearly looked like a scene from The Notebook," the butcher commented.

"What can I say?" she laughed, reaching over to take the meat bags. "I'm a romantic."

"What got you into drug-dealing?"

Alex quirked an eyebrow as she sipped her beer. "You've met Fahri."

"Yeah," Piper said as she chewed on a carrot, "but I feel like you're the type of person who wouldn't get bullied into a drug cartel."

"True," Alex admitted. "I had my fair share of bullying when I was a kid, but that's another story."

"Okay."

"I met Fahri when I was looking for my father. He and Mom just kind of...made me, and I never really got to know him before he left. He was a rockstar, so he travelled a lot. And one day I thought, hey, since Mom and I are struggling so much, maybe my dad can help. So, I looked for him, turned out he was a junkie that lived in the past. He was an asshole," she muttered.

Piper caught the venom that laced the insult. "How so?"

She chuckled, "He said my rack looked awesome."

Piper made a disgusted face, "Seriously? That's fucking gross."

"Yeah. So I went to the bathroom to recoup. But when I went out, Fahri was there. He offered a bump, I said no. Then he said that they—they meaning my dad and some other assholes—were his clients. After that, he just showed me around. Introduced me to some of his friends, taught me about the business."

"And Kubra?"

Alex shook her head, "Not really. He didn't introduce me to the big boss until it was certain that I was in the drug ring."

"How does that work? Do you, like, sign a contract?"

"Of sorts. Obviously, you can't take these types of work agreements to court. So instead of a judge, he hired a henchman."

Piper raised her eyebrows, "An assassin? Jesus, Alex, you contracted your life."

Alex shrugged it off, "Yeah, well. I had nothing going on at the time. I was working at some clothing store with my mom. It paid the bills, but..."

She scoffed, "I hated that place."

"Does your mom know about...?"

"Somewhat. I didn't really tell her, but she's smart. She never asked how I got the money to buy her a million-dollar house, or the car. To be honest, I think she thinks I'm whoring myself out," she paused. "You should meet her."

"Your mother?"

"No. My fairy tale godmother."

Piper blushed, "Sorry. I mean, yeah. I don't see why not. She sounds lovely. I mean, I—"

Alex had to laugh at the nervousness, feeling her heart slip further. She found it cute t that Piper fumbled over meeting her mother. It showed she cared. "Doesn't have to be anytime soon," she said. "Plus, she was the one who taught me how to cook. And she said to only cook for the 'special ones'."

"I'm special. You cooked for me."

Alex forked in a piece of lamb into her mouth, "Yep. How was it?"

She didn't need an answer when Piper's plate was all but licked clean. Piper threw her head back and laughed, the sound sending shivers down her spine. She loved the blonde's laugh; it was always rich and true. When she laughed, her eyes laughed along with her. It was something she had always found endearing.

"It was amazing," Piper was saying as she nibbled on a pasta. Alex had put out all the stops on the dinner while she had rested. Her mother had taken a much larger toll on her than she initially thought, but she was grateful that Alex let her nap on the couch as the smell of beautifully cooked lamb wafted through the house.

"It's much better than the food at the party."

"The party?"

"Yeah. That was why I was in that area of snobs."

Alex set down her fork. "Tell me," she said simply.

Piper breathed in and set down her own utensils. Now or never, she thought. "It's my birthday."

Alex was thankful she wasn't drinking anything. She might have spat it out. "What? You never told me that."

"Yeah, no. I didn't. I don't celebrate it. Well, I do but I don't like celebrating it because of my mother."

"Your mother?"

She pushed around an olive, "Yeah. She always threw me a big birthday party, and it's usually my dad that would talk me into going. If I had it my way, I wouldn't even be talking to either of my parents. But no, my mother would have the government on my ass if I cut them off."

"She's...controlling," she went on. "She'll do anything to boost her status. She used today to catch up with her friends and spent a total of ten minutes with me, two of which included introducing me to some guy that was probably the son of a Noble Prize winner."

Alex watched silently as Piper's eyes went glassy. She wanted to reach out, but she was afraid she'd interrupt. Her stomach turned as the blonde continued.

"She'll treat anyone like a poodle," Piper stood and paced around the room before continuing, oblivious to the tears. "She'll just use you and show you off until you're no longer shiny. Then she'll just throw you under a rug until you magically get shiny again then she'll show you off like she was the cause of it. The cycle just repeats and repeats and repeats until you're so broken and dull that you just choose not to be shiny so she doesn't take you out again. And I hate that!"

Alex's strong arms were around her in an instant as sobs wracked her body. "I hate being shown off! I hate that everything I'll ever do will always get back to her. I can't own or do anything without her criticising me behind my back or right in front of my fucking face."

Piper was unaware that she clung to Alex, her nails probably digging for blood. She felt her tears stain her lover's shirt, and a hand rubbing comforting circles on her back. Alex had said nothing, she thought, but she already felt more at ease, more at home, in her arms than anywhere else.

Alex had handled crying women before, but none of them prepared her for the tidal waves of emotions that hit her as Piper cried on her shoulder. Her hands stroked her hair, her back. She wanted to help, but she didn't know how else to help, and the inadequacy was pissing her off more than it should.

Was this really love? Alex thought.

Together, they eased back. She saw the continuous flow of tears and felt her heart wrench in her chest. Unwillingly, her eyes drifted down to Piper's lips.

Then their mouths latched on to each other. Alex wanted to be gentle, to comfort and soothe while her hands continued to rub her lover's back. But Piper's arms lifted, wrapped around her neck, and pressed their bodies together, deepening the kiss. She felt herself go under.

Take me away, Piper thought as their tongues met. Don't let me think of her. Don't let me think of anything. Just take me. She wanted to feel everything Alex could show her. Her want made her tremble with need as her fingers found their way under her lover's shirt. She pulled it up and over as she latched on to her neck.

"Wait, Piper—"

"Shh," she put her fingers on Alex's lips to stop the protest. "Just let me. Okay?"

"But—"

"Please," she pleaded as she planted a soft kiss on Alex's chin. "Please. Let me."

Alex clenched her jaw. She couldn't possibly say no when the woman was looking at her with those eyes that looked so pleading and pained. Damn it, Chapman. "Okay."

Piper took her hand and silently lead them into the bedroom. She noticed the new curtains, the new sheets before turning around to face Alex again. She was thankful for the soundboard, and she wanted to show her gratitude in a way she rarely got to. As she unbuttoned her lover's jeans, she lowered, planting soft kisses on her stomach, her waist, her thighs and smiled when she felt Alex's muscles quiver beneath her lips.

"Piper—"

"Shh."

She kissed her way back up, basking in the power she had over the brunette. She was still wearing her clothes and Alex sought to fix that. She helped, and they were soon standing in just their underwear. Piper reached forward and slid off Alex's glasses as they smiled at each other.

"This looks like that scene from The Notebook," Alex said. The obsessive parents included, she added silently.

"Too bad you don't have a broken mansion."

Their lips met again as they eased onto the bed. Alex knew that it was Piper's night. She'd given her the reigns, and she was just here for the ride. She felt the blonde making her way down her body. Sighs and murmurs, slow caresses. The seduction was brutal to the senses, but she forced herself to suffer through it. For her.

Piper kissed her way down to the shallow, seductive valley between Alex's thighs and her center. She could already smell the brunette's arousal and felt her own need, hard and strong, rise to the occasion. Her hand slid between her lover's thighs and pressed there against the wet heat. Piper's fingers played over Alex, in Alex, as her own breath quickened.

She looked up in triumph as Alex moaned, watched as the brunette climbed closer and closer to the edge. She ducked her head in between her legs as Alex released her breath in a strangled cry. Piper relished in her taste and wanted gulp after gulp.

"One more," she demanded as her tongue did its work.

Alex gripped the headboard as pleasure overwhelmed her senses. The room began to spin, the delicious dizziness leaving her unspeakably aroused. She was gasping for air, her eyes opaque as her head fell back. Her hands had gripped the blonde's hair as she was guided to another peak. Stars exploded, raspy voices murmuring promises and soothing words as she came for the second time.

This was love, she thought. It had to be.

As the moonlight illuminated the room, Piper watched as Alex's chest rose and fell, her breathing heavy with sleep. She listened, Piper thought. The woman didn't do anything but listen, and yet her own ears were ringing. Without interruption, she basically told Alex her boring, sad life story. She expected sympathy, maybe a hint of rage.

But she didn't expect acceptance.

That, she thought as she burrowed closer, threw her off more than she cared to admit.

"I can hear you thinking."

Piper jolted as Alex spoke, "Sorry. I thought you were asleep."

"I was." Alex blinked her eyes opened and secured her arm around Piper's waist. "What is it?"

"Why did you choose me?" Piper asked suddenly. "You could've had other girls, but you chose me."

Alex said nothing for a moment. The woman was a dizzying experience. A few hours ago she moved like a sex god, and now she was asking diabolical questions she didn't have the answers to. It was a complicated dance, and she wanted to learn it.

"I guess it was magnetic," Alex said carefully. "It was something I've never felt. Initially, I thought it was my...recruiter senses tingling."

"You were going to recruit me?"

"That thought came and went in the space of five seconds. I wanted you. That was it."

Piper smiled, "Now you have me."

She stayed silent for a moment before continuing. "And I want to keep you, Pipes."

"You will. I'm sorry I broke my promise before."

"I'll just hold it over your head the next time I break a promise," Alex grinned.

Piper laughed giddily and pressed her lips on Alex's, "Okay."

After another morning round of hot, sweaty sex, Alex slid on a plain black shirt before tossing Piper a random shirt for her to borrow.

"I have to tell you something."

Catching the serious tone, Alex looked at her quizzically before sliding back into the bed.

Piper fiddled with the bedsheets. "Sylvie...contacted me, the day you called about the party."

Alex swivelled her head, "What did she say?"

"Well," Piper looked at anywhere but Alex. "She...didn't say anything per se. She left a clear message of 'fuck you for stealing my girlfriend'."

"What did she do?"

"She...left a bag of poop."

Alex blinked once. "What?"

"She pooped in a bag and left it in front of my door," Piper explained in a brisk manner. "It was very prompt, very straightforward. I got what she was saying and I respect it."

"You panicked."

"I didn't panic," Piper corrected. "I was stressed out because what if she did it again and again and —"

"A person can only shit so much for a prank."

"See? See, that's what Polly said too! But what if it wasn't? Do you think she's gonna murder me? Just...how unstable is this Sylvia person?

She didn't expect Alex to laugh out loud. "It was a joke."

Defiance speared through. "It was not a joke! It was a very clear message. 'I know what you did, bitch, and I want you to know that I know.'"

Alex, who had put on her glasses to check the time, turned to face Piper. "Look," she began. "Being with you was my choice."

She stretched her sleeping limbs before continuing, "I wasn't happy."

Piper muttered, "And then I took advantage of that."

Alex had to laugh as she slid off her glasses. "I'm a grown-up, Piper."

"Do you think she's gonna come after me?" Piper worried.

Alex placed her glasses on the nightstand before continuing, "Look, I think she just needed to get it out of her system. Alright? Sometimes...you gotta rage in order to move on.

Piper just had to ask. She needed to, or it would've driven her insane not knowing. "Did you love her?"

"No."

Alex looked up at her. That question was a no-brainer. All she had to do was think of their uncalled fights, the regular, tiring arguments that happened before every trip. She only had to think of Piper, and she knew her answer. But the implied question did not go unnoticed. She wanted to lay her cards on the table, despite there being a possibility she'll suffer through rejection—or worse, pity. But then she remembered what her mom had said.

Take the leap, Alex.

So she did. "But I love you."

The leap was so easy, the landing so smooth. Her heart turned in her chest when Piper smiled before laying down beside her. "You do?"

She chuckled as the two women faced each other. Her fingers reached out to tuck a stray hair behind Piper's ear. "I don't say that to everyone," she said.

Piper's own heart swelled at the admission. It's happening, she thought. It's really happening.

"You have to say it back."

She knew that by complying, she'll be giving herself over too. But her mind and heart were already racing ahead of her, past the finish line and well into the long run. She didn't want to, but she thought of her parents. How they would react to this. No, she decided. She wouldn't tell them. She wouldn't let them ruin this. She only needed Alex.

"I love you, too."